Farmington, NM – On January 17, 2024, around 10:00 a.m., the Farmington Police Department responded to a concern reported by staff at a local Elementary School regarding possible child abuse. Officers and representatives from the Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) conducted a welfare check on a child absent from school that day. Distressing sounds were heard outside the child’s residence.

Enoch Gabhart, a 25-year-old resident of Farmington identified as the father, answered the door and permitted officials to assess the child’s well-being. Inside, officers found a visibly upset 6-year-old in his room, exhibiting red marks on his left cheekbone and near his right ear. The child reported that his father had struck him in the face. Further examination revealed redness on the child’s neck, arms, legs and an injury to the torso. The child disclosed that his father had thrown him against the wall multiple times.

Given the severity of the situation, the child was promptly transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center for medical attention. Enoch Gabhart was taken into custody and has been charged with Abuse of a Child (tortured, cruelly confined, or cruelly punished) and is currently held at the San Juan County Detention Center.

The Farmington Police Department emphasizes its commitment to the safety and well-being of the community’s children. Cases of child abuse are treated with the utmost urgency, and collaboration with CYFD ensures a comprehensive approach to addressing these matters.