A Carson City man was arrested Thursday after his stepson's baby sitter found bruises on the boy consistent with a beating, an official said.
Enrique Lopez Gonzalez, 27, was booked into the Carson City Jail at 5 p.m. on suspicion of felony child abuse.
According to Carson Sheriff's detective Craig Lowe, Gonzalez's 7-year-old stepson had hand prints on his face, bruises on his back and marks on his legs when Gonzalez dropped the child off at his baby sitter's on June 12. When the mother picked up the boy, the sitter pointed out the boy's injuries to her, Lowe said.
The mother reported the incident to police three days later and the marks, including the handprints on the boy's face, were still visible in photographs taken at that time, said Lowe.
On Thursday, when Gonzalez went to the Carson City Sheriff's Department for an interview, he allegedly admitted slapping the boy on both sides of his face, according to the arrest report.
Gonzalez also allegedly stated that the bruises on the child's back were likely caused by a door knob when Gonzalez was trying to "force the victim to stay inside a room," and "the bruises on the victim's legs were caused by him grabbing the victim's legs."
Gonzalez, a construction worker, is being held on $40,000 bail.
• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.