Latest news with #NewMexicoChildren
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
New Mexico Attorney General launches investigation into CYFD
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Condemning the governor and her New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department's secretaries, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced on Tuesday he is launching an investigation into CYFD. He said the agency won't be up front about incidents that have left children under state supervision injured or dead. Story continues below Trending: ABQ family defies all odds after their fetus received a rare diagnosis Breaking: Pope Francis dies at 88 Crime: Repeat International District murder suspect facing new charges The attorney general said he launched the investigation after a teen killed himself while in state custody, but his investigation doesn't stop there. 'His death is, I think, for me, a turning point in terms of how we're going to address the failures at CYFD,' said Attorney General of New Mexico Raúl Torrez. Torrez announced Tuesday that the New Mexico Department of Justice will be opening an investigation into the recent death of a 16-year-old boy Jaydun Garcia, who was living in a congregate facility overseen by CYFD. 'Sadly, he took his own life in a facility that we know is not in the best interest of traumatized, abused, and neglected children,' said Torrez. Torrez shared frustration at the lack of information the agency releases to the public in cases like this. 'More needs to be done in terms of shining a light on what is happening inside that agency.' He argued that confidentiality concerns do not justify the level of secrecy. 'There's a way to protect their privacy interests without shielding the misconduct,' added Torrez. CYFD has been under scrutiny for children sleeping in offices as the state faces a lack of foster parents, where there have been reports of children being assaulted by workers and other residents. For years, the agency has been plagued by high-profile cases of injuries and deaths involving children who were supposed to be under their supervision. The state paid out millions of dollars last year for the wrongful death of 4-year-old James Dunklee Cruz in 2019. Even after CYFD found the boy with a black eye, bruised genitals, and other injuries, a CYFD supervisor kept him in his mom's care. Two months later, James was beaten to death by a man they were living with. In 2022, CYFD removed kids from a home in Texico where they were found to be chained to beds and in dog cages, but still the kids were placed back in the home and eventually removed again. Several women were arrested in that case. The AG's office said his investigation will be wide-ranging and take a comprehensive look at the events leading to cases like these. 'I think we have all grown tired of waking up and hearing about another child who's been injured, another child who's been hurt, another child in state custody who's been killed.' The investigation is expected to last several months. The results will go to the newly created Office of the Child Advocate, which was created during the recent legislative session to independently oversee CYFD under the umbrella of the state Department of Justice. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's Office sent KRQE this statement: As the state's attorney, Mr. Torrez has authority to investigate CYFD or any other state agency, and the governor's administration always cooperates and shares any information requested. CYFD's own investigation into the tragic suicide of a teenage boy is already well underway, and the agency will share its findings with the Department of Justice. It should be noted that just last month, Gov. Lujan Grisham signed into law a new Office of Child Advocate in the attorney general's office that confers him with authority to investigate CYFD's operations. She also authorized $650,000 to establish the office in its first year. However, as she stated in her March 21 executive message, the governor is concerned that this new office could be weaponized to intimidate CYFD and its staff rather than to prioritize the safety and well-being of children in the state's care. She reiterates this concern following the AG's unfounded, blanket criticisms of CYFD at a news conference today. All public officials with jurisdiction over CYFD should commit to ensuring that oversight is conducted with the utmost integrity, without prejudgment or political motivation. Michael ColemanCommunications DirectorOffice of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham CYFD sent KRQE this statement: The death of any child is tragic, and we mourn this terrible loss and send our condolences to the family and friends of the youth who died. CYFD is disappointed that Attorney General Torres has decided not to collaborate with the Department on this important investigation. CYFD's own investigation began immediately, and we will share our findings with the Department of Justice. As Secretary Casados has said on numerous occasions, she would much prefer to work with the attorney general in a solution-focused manner, rather than via a press conference, for systemic change to New Mexico's child welfare system Andrew SkobinskyDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Secretary | Children, Youth & Families Department Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
A teenager takes his life in foster care
Sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning, 16-year-old Jaydun Garcia took his own life at a makeshift home for youth who lack foster placements. Jaydun was the second of five brothers and had a baby sister. He was very close to his siblings, those who knew him said, and a close friend to many kids in foster care. 'He was always building us up, like helping us all,' said Jacie, a friend of Jaydun's who lived with him for months in the Albuquerque office building of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, where case workers have often housed kids who don't have foster homes available to them. This article first appeared on Searchlight New Mexico and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. 'Hearing that he's gone, it just like broke us, and it took a piece out of us,' she said. Jaydun and Jacie both belonged to a tight-knit group of foster youth — teens who had spent much of their lives in foster care and had spent years held in group facilities. Jaydun loved to draw and was an athletic kid who loved basketball, especially the Los Angeles Lakers — a person whom friends would seek out when they needed someone to talk to. For this story, Searchlight spoke to six people with direct knowledge of the circumstances of Jaydun's death. Most of them asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak with the media, or because of sensitivities related to the case. 'He was always building us up, like helping us all,' said Jacie, a friend of Jaydun's. 'Hearing that he's gone, it just like broke us, and it took a piece out of us.' In an email, CYFD communications director Andrew Skobinsky wrote that the department could not comment because of confidentiality laws. 'We are only authorized to release information when it is determined that abuse or neglect caused a child's death,' he wrote. 'Accordingly, no further information can be provided.' Jaydun's death comes after years of promises by CYFD to stop housing its foster youth in group settings and to provide them adequate mental health care — promises that were made as part of the 2020 settlement of a class action lawsuit that claimed the state's child welfare system was 'locking New Mexico's foster children into a vicious cycle of declining physical, mental and behavioral health.' Now, half a decade later, CYFD has failed year after year to meet its commitments to those promises, according to independent monitors. Instead, it has housed children with serious mental and behavioral health needs in youth homeless shelters and its office buildings, where they have been sexually assaulted, injured by armed guards and exposed to fentanyl and other drugs. 'When I go visit a client who is living in these settings, I see their mental health declining sharply,' said Sara Crecca, an Albuquerque-based youth attorney who was co-counsel for the plaintiffs of the class action suit. Amid mounting criticism from attorneys, legislators and advocates, CYFD in June 2024 began moving youth from its office complex to a new building: a former Albuquerque halfway house built for girls transitioning out of juvenile detention. It was in that building that Jaydun died last weekend, discovered in the bathroom by his roommate, another teenage boy. The death in itself is beyond tragic, friends and attorneys say — a loss made all the more painful by the fact that CYFD had continued to house Jaydun and other youth in congregate care despite barrages of warnings that such housing was a 'clear and urgent safety risk for children,' particularly those who were suffering mental crises, with staffing shortages sometimes leaving kids with nowhere to turn. 'They're supposed to be the one people that we trust, the ones that we go to when we have problems,' Jacie said of CYFD. In the wake of Jaydun's death, nobody from the department had reached out to Jacie to offer therapy or counseling, she said. 'If they really cared, they would be on top of getting us therapy. They would be on top of us having a home — a forever home, an actual home with parents' love — not removing us, not putting us in shelters, not putting us in the office. We're not getting that.' Still, the events of last weekend felt unexpected to those close to Jaydun. 'CYFD had promised him a lot of support' during the last year, a close acquaintance of his told Searchlight, asking that they not be named because of the sensitive nature of the case. 'He seemed to be optimistic about his future.'
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NMCYFD Secretary acknowledges department's shortcomings, says changes are being made
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The woman taking over the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department is inheriting a troubled department. For years, CYFD has routinely failed to protect New Mexico's children from abuse and neglect. Secretary Teresa Casados is acknowledging CYFD's problems while trying to forge a new path. Story continues below News: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham authorizes National Guard deployment to Albuquerque Trending: NMSU: 6 international students' visas revoked by federal government News: Suspect in custody after fleeing from police in a U-Haul with people in the back Education: Curanderismo in the classroom: Albuquerque high school teacher introduces students to Mexican folk healing Lawmakers unleashed on her this Legislative session over the deaths of children, some during her tenure, that they say could have been prevented. 'I took on this role to lead this and knew that there would be criticisms based on, you know, the role in general. And I don't take those personally,' said Casados. Casados said she knows her agency is broken. 'But I think we also have an opportunity that we missed, and that's in bringing people together to really solve the problem…'Not what people are talking about that aren't working in that day in and day out, but let's focus on the problems and focus on finding a solution, and then all come together to work towards that. I think that's what's going to change the department and change the outcomes that we're seeing. And until we can do that, I don't think any amount of legislation, you can't legislate your way out of a situation,' said Casados. Casados said it starts with prevention, which is why she bolstered support for families struggling with situations that could lead to abuse or neglect. 'It really gives them the ability to get stabilization for what they need, right, and without removing kids, and being able to keep that unit together and support that mom. You know, there may be times when temporarily we have to remove them so they can get stabilized, but this really gives them an opportunity to get back on their feet.' Deputy Secretary Kathey Phoenix-Doyle leads the Behavioral Health and Family Services Divisions. 'We had a young mom, two children, and she found herself in a situation where she didn't, she was homeless because of a domestic violence incident that had occurred, and she was protecting her children, her young children, and she's like, I just, I need help. I'm young, you know, she didn't know about resources. She didn't have a family who could back her up,' said Phoenix-Doyle. CYFD has added four family resource centers around the state, and even a mobile one. They have served 800 families so far, and the numbers are growing. 'The important part is not handing them just a brochure with a lot of numbers. It's to say, I'm going to help you until we get you connected to that community resource you may be needing,' said Phoenix-Doyle. Casados said, 'You don't have to do life alone. There are some difficult situations that everyone faces one time or another, and there are people to walk through it with you.' Lawmakers did pass House Bill 5, which would create an Office of Child Advocacy within the New Mexico Department of Justice to oversee CYFD. A move which the secretary welcomes. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. If someone suspects a child is being abused, it can be reported by dialing #SAFE or calling 855-333-7233. Reports can also be made by texting 505-591-4444. CYFD is also holding more than 30 events across the state. To access the resources CYFD offers, click this link. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill creating office in NMDOJ to oversee CYFD headed to governor's desk
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A bill strengthening protections for kids in New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department care is heading to the governor's desk. On Monday, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 5 which would create an Office of Child Advocacy within the New Mexico Department of Justice to oversee CYFD. Bill could make 'magic mushrooms' a legal treatment option in New Mexico Last week, the Senate passed the bill and now it heads to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's desk for final action. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate passes revised bill to create oversight agency for CYFD
A yearslong effort to create an agency to provide independent oversight of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department won Senate approval Friday. House Bill 5, which would establish an Office of the Child Advocate responsible for monitoring the services CYFD provides and receiving complaints about the agency, now heads back to the House for concurrence after it was amended — and some say watered down — in the Senate. Although he was the lone "no" vote on an amendment crafted in consultation with the Governor's Office, which didn't support the proposal as originally written, Sen. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, ultimately voted in favor of the measure. "We've reached a point where I think, really, we have no choice but to do something," Cervantes said before the 28-13 vote. "To allow more time and to hold our tongues and to avert our eyes a little bit longer, it's hurting some kids that are living under desks who we've taken and placed there because they thought they were going to be safe," he said. The amendment the Senate passed 40-1 strips the proposed agency's subpoena power and authority to determine whether the department or a department employee had violated a child's federal or state constitutional rights. Sen. Katy Duhigg, D-Albuquerque, who sponsored the amendment, called the proposed subpoena power "a bit of an overreach" and said determining whether someone's civil rights were violated is the role of a court. "It was trimming around the edges and just making sure things were cleaned up and well positioned for this office to work as a collaborative advocate rather than something punitive," she said in an interview. Duhigg said the amendment was developed in partnership with the executive. "I think it's essential that whatever approach we're going to take, especially something as important as how we help the most vulnerable children in New Mexico, we all ought to be on the same page," she said. "I think it really is a very strong bill that will make a really significant difference for kids and families in New Mexico." After introducing the amendment in the Senate, Duhigg told senators it 'gets us a bill signed by the governor.' The proposal generated a 2½-hour debate that included discussion about whether the proposed office would duplicate the work of the Substitute Care Advisory Council, as well as whether creating another agency was the best solution to fixing the troubled child welfare agency, which even Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has called "dysfunctional." The office, which would be administratively attached to the state Department of Justice, has a funding appropriation of only about $3,000 in the state's proposed budget, which Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, said was inadequate. 'This is an office that's going to be inundated with calls,' he said. 'Let's be honest.' Cervantes said the 'contemplation' is staffing would be provided through the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. "I'm going to postulate that a better solution to the problem rather than standing up another agency with the same prime directive as CYFD would be to fix CYFD," said Sen. Larry Scott, R-Hobbs. "Is that asking too much?" Cervantes told Scott he had resisted previous efforts "for the last almost seven years now" because he shared the same concerns. But he said reports and news stories about CYFD, as well as seeing "videotape of a dead child as law enforcement came upon her body in Silver City," changed his mind. "I can't sleep well at night knowing that children are suffering every day and every night and have for seven years, and I've had a chance to do more about it and this is the more," he said. Scott told Cervantes he should have "resisted one more year" and helped the executive branch with the money and expertise to address the problems at CYFD. "We need to avail ourselves of the best, brightest people that there are in the country that engage in these activities, hire them, train them, pay them appropriately and solve the problem with CYFD," he said. "What we don't need to be doing is standing up another organization that will now share the blame when things don't work." Early in the debate, Cervantes championed an amendment that would have given a child advocate selection committee the power to fill the advocate position if the governor failed to make an appointment within 30 days of receiving the committee's final nominations. Without the amendment, the bill would be "rendered meaningless," he said. "A recalcitrant executive could essentially just never fill the position," Cervantes said. Despite his urging, the amendment failed 11-27.
