Father arrested in beating of son

JOEL MILLMAN

The father of a 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of beating his son with a stick, El Paso County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman deputy Teresa Murphy said today.

Jeremiah Lovato, 39, faces first-degree assault and felony child abuse charges. He is being held in the El Paso County jail on $250,000 bond.

The single father was arrested Sunday at the home he shares with his son east of Cimarron Hills after the boy, who was not identified, reported the beating to sheriff's deputies. The teenager was hospitalized for several days afterward, said Murphy, who said she could not release information about the boy's injuries.