Body of newborn baby found in trash bag may have been injected with heroin by addict mother, allege police
ALCALDE, NEW MEXICO: The body of a baby that was earlier found by the police in a trash bag in Alcade could have been injected with heroin by its mother, officers were told on Thursday, August 22. The dead baby was found after a man who identified himself as the baby's father called the police on August 17. He said that he was concerned about the safety of his unborn child after he had come home to La Madera from a trip to find that his unborn child’s mother was no longer showing signs of being pregnant.
According to a press statement by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, the father is said to have questioned the mother about the child and she refused to tell him what happened. When the police conducted an investigation into the matter, they found that the mother had been living in a residence in Alcade. The police officers went in to perform a "welfare check on the mother and unborn child" and the trailer is said to have a "smell of death", according to an affidavit.
They then started looking for the child and found the newborn baby dead in a black tote inside a black trash bag near the toilet.
The New Mexico State Police Crime Scene Team was called to the scene and the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau took over the case, the statement read. As it is still a developing case, there is very little information at this time, authorities said. However, the baby's autopsy is being carried out by the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, which would help them determine the cause of death and the manner in which the baby died.
According to an affidavit from the Santa Fe District Court, the father had said that the mom was a frequent heroin user, the Albuquerque Journal reported. It also said that he had admitted to her doing the drug frequently when she had been carrying. The father told officers that he had been informed that she would inject the child to avoid withdrawal symptoms. The officers also found blood on the front porch.
The mother had told the police that she had the baby in La Madera and had fainted from the pain. When she had woken up the baby hadn't responded. "Her statements were inconsistent and not making logical sense," the affidavit reportedly said.
According to the press statement by authorities, no charges have been filed and that they are awaiting autopsy results. The parties involved will only be identified when charged.