Defense: Daddy didn't mean to beat up 4-month-old son! Besides, babies heal really fast! (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Damn. Where's my barf bag when I need it? Daddy WARREN JOSEPH MONTES is charged with assault for breaking the leg of his 4-month-old son. But he didn't really mean it! It was an accident! And besides, babies heal really, really fast!

Meanwhile, this "very loving father" won't even stay in jail, since he is being released. And he's even free to "interact" with his two kids, INCLUDING the baby he's charged with assaulting with intent to murder.

Hmm. Whose rights are being given more value here? Daddy's "right" to unfettered access to his offspring? Or the baby's right to basic life, health, and safety? So much for daddies being discriminated against.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51252561-76/montes-child-bugden-injured.html.csp

Defense: Dad didn’t intend to injure 4-month-old
By Melinda Rogers

The Salt Lake Tribune

First published 1 hour ago
Updated 1 hour ago Updated Feb 15, 2011 02:02PM

A defense attorney for a 19-year-old Montezuma Creek man indicted in U.S. District Court for allegedly assaulting his 4-month-old son said the child was accidentally injured, and the charges against his client aren’t telling the whole story.

Warren Joseph Montes faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted on one count of assault with intent to murder. He was indicted last week for assaulting his baby on southern Utah’s Navajo Nation on Dec. 13.

Montes’ attorney, Walter Bugden, said Tuesday that Montes’ feels horribly his child was injured, but declined to speak about the circumstances leading up to the boy’s hospitalization at Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

The child suffered a fractured right femur, Bugden said. He said Montes didn’t intend to hurt the child. Supporters of Montes, including his fiance’s parents, attended a detention hearing before Judge Samuel Alba on Tuesday.

Alba ordered Montes to be released as the case proceeds. He may interact with his children, which includes a 2-year-old daughter in addition to the 4-month-old who was injured.

Bugden said following Tuesday’s hearing that Montes’ fiance supports him and doesn’t believe Montes intentionally injured their son.

“From all reports, my client is a very loving father,” Bugden said. He said the child is healing quickly from his injuries because of the rapid pace babies are producing calcium and vitamin D.

“Generally speaking, babies are able to heal pretty well.”

He said Montes has no criminal record, except a juvenile charge of fishing without a license.

Montes has pleaded not guilty to the charge. His trial is tentatively set for April 18.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has not commented on the case outside of the indictment, which alleges Montes purposefully hurt his son.

mrogers@sltrib.com