Father arrested after 13-day-old baby was savagely beaten and drugged, police say

A Santa Ana father was arrested this week on suspicion of severely beating his 13-day-old child while under the influence of methamphetamine, authorities said.

Jonathan Reyes, 22, was taken into custody Monday after the baby’s mother awoke from a nap to find the infant with visible injuries to his face and body, said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna, a spokesman for the Santa Ana Police Department.

The baby suffered a skull fracture, internal injuries and tested positive for meth, authorities said. On Thursday morning, the child was still in the hospital but was expected to recover, Bertagna said.

Reyes denied abusing the baby but made incriminating statements, police said. He admitted to officers that he had used meth while caring for his child as the baby’s mother slept.

Police don’t know how the child ingested the drug, but Bertagna said the mother was not a meth user.

It was not immediately clear whether Reyes had been charged. The Orange County district attorney’s office could not be reached Thursday morning.

The Police Department is seeking charges against Reyes of child abuse and committing a crime while out on bail. He was arrested in March on suspicion of robbery and released after posting bond. Bertagna said he used a knife or box cutter to steal from someone in a car.

Reyes is being held in the Orange County Central Men’s Jail in lieu of $170,000 bail and is expected to appear in court Thursday, according to inmate records.