Cheyenne Man Charged in Boy’s Death

A 24-year-old Cheyenne man could face 25 to 70 years in prison for the death of his girlfriend's two-year-old son.

John Barrett made his initial appearance in Laramie County Circuit Court via video conference this (Wednesday) morning.

Barrett, who was arrested on Friday after police served a search warrant at his house, is accused of beating and sexually abusing the boy between May 9 and May 18.

"The Cheyenne Police Department was notified of this case on May 22 when Christopher Clark was brought to the hospital," said Officer Kevin Malatesta.

"Hospital staff recognized that he had extensive bruising on his head, abdomen, back, buttocks, legs and arms and that he had two black eyes," Malatesta added. "They sent him down to Children's Hospital Colorado where he passed away the next day."

Barrett has been charged with two counts of child abuse and first-degree sexual abuse of minor, but Malatesta says additional charges could follow.

"That's going to be based on the medical examiner's report and the outcome of that," said Malatesta. "We're not ruling anybody out with this too, so we're looking at him as well as anybody else the child was living with or had contact with, so that would include his mother."

"The mother of the child stands behind me," Barrett told Judge Thomas Lee. "She believes I'm innocent."

Due to the severity of the charges, Lee set Barrett's bond at $50,000 cash. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 8 at 10:30 a.m.