Authorities announced the arrest of three suspects in the death of a 38-year-old disabled woman who had been in the care of a state-run New Mexico program for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that special agents from the state Attorney General's Office arrested the three women with assistance from the New Mexico State Police and Rio Rancho police.
New Mexico Women Accused of Torturing Disabled woman
On Wednesday, authorities held a press conference to discuss the case. Angelita Rene Chacon, 52, of Rio Rancho, has been accused of abuse or neglect resulting in the death of a resident by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office.
Patricia Hurtado, 42, of Rio Rancho is allegedly facing similar accusations, while Luz Scott, of Clovis, is charged with false imprisonment and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment. It was unclear whether any of the suspects had hired an attorney yet, Fox News reported.
Attorney General of New Mexico Ral Torrez told the New Mexican that the woman's abuse and neglect were horrifying and that her injuries were among the worst he had ever seen in his career as a prosecutor.
According to an arrest affidavit for Chacon, Melero was unable to stand and unresponsive when she was discovered in the back of the van, lying on the floorboard draped in a blanket with filthy bandages covering her open wounds, but she was weeping. Chacon informed authorities that they were bringing the victim to Mexico for medical treatment.
When she was admitted to a hospital in El Paso, Texas, she was severely ill, as per USA Today. Torrez stated that Melero had pneumonia, lesions across her body, bedsores, and ulcers - some of which were so severe that bone was exposed - as well as abrasions and ligature marks "indicating that she had been restrained."
People charged with providing care for people with disabilities have been accused of heinous cruelty and neglect across the country, including in New Mexico. Torrez expressed concern that officials may be unaware of additional cases of maltreatment in care facilities.
On Friday, the women were scheduled to make their initial judicial appearances. According to the office of the attorney general, Chacon and Hurtado contracted with At Home Advocacy and three other contractors to provide additional care for the victim.
They received approximately $5,000 per month through the waiver program to care for her. A preliminary examination of available business documents reveals that At Home Advocacy received nearly $250,000 to coordinate care and support for the victim in the three years preceding her death.
Per SFGate, the company last visited the residence on January 25, one month before the victim was discovered at the El Paso port of entry.
According to prosecution documents, an At Home Advocacy supervisor told FBI agents that the company conducted monthly wellness assessments at Chacon's residence but that "body checks" were not performed, and no injuries were observed.
The deceased woman was discovered severely dehydrated and sedated, according to authorities. She also had numerous open lesions, bedsores with exposed bone, bruising, and lacerations.
In addition, they described scars consistent with lengthy confinement. She was taken to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, where she perished on April 7, unable to communicate when she was discovered by federal agents at the border crossing.
New Mexico Legislators Warn Against Abuse of Disabled Individuals
The Democratic governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, and senior health officials have warned that caregivers who mistreat and abuse developmentally disabled or otherwise vulnerable individuals will be held responsible.
Additionally, Republican legislative leaders demanded an investigation by the federal government, stating that an independent investigation would ensure transparency and may prevent future occurrences of this nature.
Torrez and Raul Bujanda, the FBI agent in command of Albuquerque, referred to the case as a "wake-up call" regarding the treatment of developmentally disabled individuals in New Mexico.
Torrez urged the governor and legislators to overhaul Department of Health protocols. His recommendations included increased personnel and training, mandatory inspections every 90 days, and new civil and criminal penalties for businesses and service providers.
He counted 12 "auditors" for over 6,000 sites across the state and criticized administrators and legislators for relying on care providers to self-report problems.
"This is one of the fundamental difficulties in this case," Torrez said, implying that lucrative contracts with the state provide no incentive for providers to self-police.
Patrick Allen, the state's secretary of health, announced on Thursday that an investigation is underway to identify any systemic defects that would enable abuse or neglect to go unchecked. He added that the agency will continue to refer to law enforcement any suspected abuse and neglect cases.
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