A teenager initially facing felony charges for allegedly feeding vodka shots to an 9-year-old boy could instead face a misdemeanor.
Skyler DeMatteo, 18, waived his right to a preliminary hearing today in exchange for an as-yet-unnamed misdemeanor charge.
His attorney, Martin Stuart, said it wasn’t DeMatteo who gave alcohol to the child, but his friend Tyrale Haselrig-Graham, 19, who was also allegedly in the child’s apartment New Year’s Eve.
Haselrig-Graham has maintained he’s innocent of the felony charges of child abuse causing serious bodily injury and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The victim had to be taken to the hospital after vomiting and becoming dizzy.
DeMatteo, a high school student and father of a 2-year-old son, next appears for arraignment May 12.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com.
