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Man arrested for hitting children, officer

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Multiple charges have been filed in Magistrate Court against a Gallup man for reportedly hitting his children and kicking a police officer.

Gallup Police Officer Aaron Baldonado said he was dispatched about 10 pm on April 28 to an apartment on Elm Circle in reference to a domestic dispute.

When he got there, he met with Jazlyn Yazzie who said her boyfriend, Sheldon Whitegoat, no age given, had been drinking and was hitting their children. Baldonado said Whitegoat was in a back room covered in a blanket. He added he tried to wake Whitegoat, but he did not respond.

Yazzie said the problems began when her two-year-old daughter stepped on Whitegoat’s tablet and he hit her in her legs and arms with a belt. Three other children were in the room and when MedStar technicians arrived, Baldonado asked that all four children be checked for abuse. Three of the children were found to have marks on their bodies.

When asked if their father hit them often, one of the children said, “He always get mad when he is drinking.”

Baldonado said two other officers showed up to help and the three had to carry Whitegoat to the police unit because he was so intoxicated. Before they could get him into the unit, however, he threw himself onto the ground and tried to slide under the police car.

Baldonado said Whitegoat began struggling and in the process kicked Baldonado twice in the chest. They were finally able to get handcuffs on him and Whitegoat was transported to a local hospital for a medical evaluation.

Once he was cleared, he was transported to the county jail, but during the booking process, he coughed and because of a fear he might have contracted COVID-19, the jail refused to accept him and police had to let him go.

About an hour later, police received a complaint that he had gone back to his house and begun knocking in the doors and windows. When police arrived on scene, Whitegoat was nowhere to be found.

He was charged with three counts of child abuse and one charge each of battery upon a police officer and resisting arrest.

Staff Reports