Lake Villa man pleads not guilty to injuring son

A Lake Villa man pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he injured his infant son.

Juan Pineda, 21, of the 100 block of South Milwaukee Avenue, faces a mandatory prison sentence of six to 30 years if convicted of aggravated battery to a child.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Eric Klata said Pineda took his 8-month-old son to the emergency room at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital around 9 p.m. on Dec. 24.

Doctors called police after discovering the child had multiple bruises on his back and abdomen and a broken right leg.

Pineda told police he had been sleeping with the child on his chest, and the infant had fallen off his chest and struck a table.

Pineda was arrested after doctors said the infant’s injuries were not consistent with the type of fall he was describing.

Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak scheduled a trial of the case for March 12 and ordered Pineda, who is held on $250,000 bail, to appear in court Feb. 17.