Westport man pleads not guilty at arraignment concerning alleged strangulation of 2-month-old

By Ken Paiva

A 32-year-old Westport man who was arrested in January for allegedly strangling a two-month-old child, has been arraigned on multiple charges.

Stephen Kegyes was arraigned Thursday on multiple charges including three counts of permitting injury to a child, strangulation, reckless endangerment of a child, and assault and battery on a child with injury.

A not guilty plea was entered on all charges.

On January 12th, as the investigation proceeded, detectives obtained video from Kegyes’ husband which was taken from inside the residence and allegedly shows Kegyes abusing the infant on January 9. In the video, Kegyes reportedly grabbed the baby by the neck and tossed him on the couch.

Kegyes is an adoptive parent of the infant boy, according to Westport Police. Officials were contacted on January 10 and informed the infant was at Boston Children’s Hospital being treated for multiple injuries.

Kegyes posted $2,500 bail in January.

The defendant was arraigned in Fall River Superior Court after previously being arraigned in Fall River District Court.

A court appointed attorney will represent Kegyes as he was considered indigent.

Kegyes next court appearance is scheduled for June for a pre-trial conference.