A 24-year-old man in New Mexico is accused of intentionally breaking a glass beer bottle over an 8-year-old girl’s head and slicing her neck at a restaurant because she was “in his way,” landing the victim in the hospital and requiring more than a dozen stitches.
Nichalas San Souci was indicted by a Bernalillo County grand jury last week on charges of child abuse resulting in great bodily harm, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, authorities said.
According to a press release from the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, the incident occurred on April 25, 2025, at Saggios, a restaurant in the 100 block of Cornell Drive.
The victim was “looking at a waterfall” inside the restaurant when “San Souci hit the child over the head with a beer bottle, then sliced her neck with the broken bottle,” according to prosecutors. According to authorities, the child was “seriously injured” and required 19 stitches.
According to police, the victim and San Souci were strangers before the incident.
Britton Rose, the victim’s father, explained what happened in an interview with Albuquerque ABC affiliate KOAT.
Rose claimed that when he found his daughter in the restaurant, she was “soaking wet.” She then explained that someone had “come up from behind and broken a beer bottle over her head.”
According to Rose, when he and his family arrived, the popular restaurant was crowded and there was a long line, so they knew it “was going to be a while” before they could be seated. While they waited, he stated that his wife and daughter went to explore the murals and other decorations inside the establishment.
“That’s when I heard my wife from across the restaurant yelling, ‘No, no, stop,'” Rose told the station. “And then I knew something was going on with my family.”
According to court documents obtained by the station, after breaking the bottle on the child’s head, San Souci “stabbed” and “sliced” the victim with the remaining bottle. He allegedly admitted to authorities that he attacked the 8-year-old “because she got in my way.”
After allegedly attacking his daughter, Rose told the station that San Souci pulled out a weapon.
“After our original altercation, he stood back up and pulled out a knife. Which I initially assumed he was going to use against me, but I could tell his intention had shifted, and he was looking back over at my daughter. So I wanted to be sure I could get between him and her.
District Attorney Sam Bregman described the incident as “so, so disturbing,” noting that San Souci could face decades in prison for his alleged crimes.
“The individual was indicted for first-degree child abuse, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon,” According to KOAT, “He faces 22 and a half years. If he is found guilty of child abuse, he will face an 18-year sentence.
According to records, San Souci is currently being held without bond at the Bernalillo County Jail.
