Latest news with #VictorGonzales

Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Prosecutor: Chances missed to remove 4-month-old from home before his death
Jun. 13—Officials missed opportunities to remove a 4-month-old boy born addicted to fentanyl from his home prior to the child's June 5 death, a prosecutor said Friday at a detention hearing for the child's mother. Prosecutors allege that the Albuquerque couple contributed to the death of their infant child by using fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine in their home where the child was found dead. The boy's mother, Gabriella Muniz, 27, was ordered Friday by 2nd Judicial District Judge Courtney Weaks to remain in custody while awaiting trial on a charge of abandonment or abuse of a child resulting in death. Weaks last week ordered Muniz's co-defendant, Victor Gonzales, 46, held in custody pending trial. Both are charged with abuse of a child resulting in death. Muniz also picked up a new felony charge Thursday for allegedly possessing fentanyl in her jail cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center, according to a criminal complaint filed in Municipal Court. Muniz was charged after another inmate was hospitalized for a drug overdose on June 6. Assistant District Attorney Rebekah Reyes told the judge Friday that Muniz refused to submit to a drug test in February as required under a Children, Youth and Family Department safety plan. CYFD imposed the plan because the boy was born addicted to fentanyl on Jan. 28. "Both defendants were ordered to complete drug testing by CYFD," Reyes said. Muniz went to the testing center Feb. 10 but claimed she was not allowed to provide a sample because she had arrived after 4 p.m., Reyes said. "She was then instructed to go the following day and that is when we have the refusal to provide that sample," Reyes said. "I don't know why the refusal to provide a sample did not immediately yield CYFD filing to take this infant into custody, but it did not." The boy, identified in court records as C.M., remained in a hospital until Feb. 24, where he received a morphine drip to wean him off addiction to fentanyl, Reyes said. "On the 24th of February, 2025, is when the last time CYFD had eyes on this infant," she said. CYFD workers made numerous attempts to reach the couple from February through June by phone, text and in-person visits but were unable to make contact with the family, she said. On June 3, two days before the child's death, a CYFD worker requested a welfare check for the child "due to no contact with C.M. and the family," according to a criminal complaint. Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputies went to the couple's home in the 100 block of Sarah NW that day, but were unable to take action because CYFD's 21-day safety plan had expired, Reyes told the judge. Deputies made contact that day with Muniz's mother, who was in charge of ensuring the child's well-being under the safety plan, she said. "BCSO did go to the residence and they were advised by the defendant's mother that her understanding was the infant was on a 21-day safety plan, and that at the end of that safety plan, the infant could go back with the family," Reyes said. "That is, in fact, correct," she said. "The infant was only on a 21-day safety plan. There was nothing in place as to what was going to happen after that 21 days expired, so there was nothing deputies could do at that point. CYFD had not filed for custody of this infant at that time." CYFD said in a written statement that the agency could not comment because the case remained under investigation. CYFD also said it was "cooperating fully with investigating authorities." "The death of any child is a profound tragedy, and our hearts go out to all those affected by this loss," CYFD said in the statement. "State and federal confidentiality laws strictly govern what the Children, Youth, and Families Department can disclose regarding individual cases. As this matter remains under active investigation, CYFD cannot provide additional information at this time." Reyes said Muniz has previously lost custody of two children. Muniz's attorney, Deidre Ewing, said that no cause existed to hold Muniz in custody while awaiting trial. The Office of the Medical Investigator has not released a report indicating the cause of the boy's death, Ewing said. "We're putting the cart before the horse," Ewing told the judge. "There is not yet evidence to say that a crime has been committed." Ewing also said that Muniz has never been convicted of a felony and shows symptoms of postpartum depression, a mood disorder that can occur after childbirth. "We cannot be in the business of criminalizing people suffering from psychological disorders, with respect to the records on the drug testing and the records from CYFD that have been discussed," she said. Muniz has been charged with criminal offenses dating to 2019, including armed robbery and kidnapping, but all the charges have been dismissed, court records show. On Thursday, Muniz was charged with possessing a synthetic narcotic after she allegedly provided a corrections officer a container that contained a "white powdery residue" that Muniz identified as powdered fentanyl, according to a criminal complaint. The new charges against Muniz arose from an incident that occurred in MDC on June 6, Reyes said. An inmate was found unresponsive, was given Narcan and transferred to University of New Mexico Hospital. The inmate recovered. Muniz allegedly introduced powered fentanyl into the cell, Reyes said. "The defendant did admit that she did have the fentanyl on her," Reyes said. "She admitted that it was pure powder fentanyl, and it was confiscated from her."
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pride events continue to grow in Kern County
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The start of summer brings quite a special celebration; Pride Month in Kern County. Some are ready to kick off the festivities. 'To have a place where you can also just step aside and realize where you are in this point in time and who you are with everyone else around you, that's the most important part,' said Victor Gonzales with Bakersfield Museum of Art. Standard School District announces resignation of Superintendent at Tuesday board meeting Though many might think pride would take a step back because of anti-immigration protests around the state, the queer community says now is the time to stand stronger. 'I don't see it as being as quiet. Every day I see a new event popping up all over social media or friends telling me about it,' said Gonzales. 'Now is the time to not be shy about expressing who you are or having your voice heard.' In the 7th edition of Art After Dark's Pride celebration, up to 800 attendees are expected. Partnerships have almost doubled compared to past years. 'In the past years we've had close to nine community partners…now it's up to 17,' said Gonzales. 'It's also a testament to how many people are participating with us, that want to be with us and want to be celebrating this event too.' Never miss a story: Make your homepage The party doesn't stop there. Tehachapi's LGBTQ is coming back for its second year of pride events; click here to learn more. Online events are also ongoing through the month for anyone to join across the county. 'We are here, we are like everyone else, we have our own voices and let's celebrate who we are here,' said Gonzales. To learn more about Art After Dark, click here. For more events, visit The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Albuquerque couple charged in child's death, Illegal fishing, Less rain, Balloon Fiesta drive-in movie, Retired military dog
Politicians sink $13M in closed New Mexico tourist attraction Videos show man in dumpster getting dumped into waste truck VIDEO: Man accused of stabbing child in the neck arrested by APD Rio Rancho City Council to decide fate of nuisance home Woman sentenced for injuring Albuquerque police officer ABQ looking for input from business owners about downtown parking LA police swiftly enforce downtown curfew as protests continue [1] Albuquerque couple facing charges in 4-month-old's death – Victor Gonzales and Gabriella Muniz told investigators they fell asleep with their baby between them and when they woke up, their son was unresponsive. It is still unclear whether the child suffocated or overdosed, but meth and fentanyl were in the infant's system at birth. Both parents are now facing charges. Investigators said the child was on a CYFD safety plan due to being drug-exposed. [2] Illegal fishing and dead animals reported at nature preserve ponds near Tingley Beach – Just a few feet off Paseo del Bosque Trial, near Tingley Beach, sit two wildlife ponds filled with fish, turtles and passing geese. For the past three years an anonymous citizen says she has seen people fishing in the ponds, despite the multiple signs that clearly state 'No Fishing.' The woman says she reported what she's seen to the city and APD's open space patrol. The City's Open Space Division said they are looking for volunteers to help patrol the area [3] Less storms with hotter & drier air around New Mexico – A pattern of hotter and drier weather will start Wednesday. Isolated showers and storms will still pop up over the mountains and surrounding areas Wednesday afternoon, but the rain totals will be much lighter. Temperatures will be hotter Wednesday afternoon and even drier air will move into the state Thursday. Temperatures continue to heat up into this weekend. The hottest day will be Sunday and Monday next week. Parts of Albuquerque may hit 100° for the first time this year, with a stretch of triple-digit heat in southern New Mexico. [4] Free drive-in movie experience coming to Balloon Fiesta Park – A free drive-in movie experience is coming to Balloon Fiesta Park thanks to a collaboration between the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' will be shown on June 11 at Balloon Fiesta Park's east parking lot in Albuquerque. The event is part of the Summer of Nonviolence initiative to provide youth with fun and safe activities throughout the summer to keep them engaged and active. Gates open at 7 p.m., and the movie will start at 8:30 p.m. [5] Military working dog is officially retired from Kirtland Air Force Base – Kirtland Air Force Base is sharing the moment one of its military working dog retired from service. KAFB says Hugo, a nine-year-old German Shepherd, has officially completed his tour of duty after serving seven years at the base. Hugo was a narcotics detection and patrol certified dog who completed more than 9,000 hours of work during his career. Officials say Hugo now lives with one of his former handlers, an airman now stationed in California. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
These 6 Central Texas cities are among the 150 Best Places to Live in the U.S.
The Brief 9 Central Texas cities made US News & World Report's list of Best Places to Live in the US The list ranks 250 cities across the country on five indices 54 Texas cities made the list, making up about 22% of the list AUSTIN, Texas - Six Central Texas cities made the top 150 of the new Best Places to Live in the U.S. list. The annual list by US News & World Report ranks 250 cities across the country based on value, desirability, strength of the job market and quality of life. What we know Six Central Texas cities made the top 150: Leander at number 8; Pflugerville at number 15; Cedar Park at number 23; Round Rock at number 28; New Braunfels at number 77 and Georgetown at number 113. Austin lay just outside the top 150 at number 164. Temple and San Antonio also made the list, at 99 and 236 respectively. The top 10 cities on the list are: Johns Creek, Georgia Carmel, Indiana Pearland, Texas Fishers, Indiana Cary, North Carolina League City, Texas Apex, North Carolina Leander, Texas Rochester Hills, Michigan Troy, Michigan Big picture view In total, 54 Texas cities made the top 250, or about 21.6 percent of the list. The following cities also made the list: Flower Mound (14), Sugar Land (16), McAllen (20), Mansfield (27), Frisco (30), McKinney (37), Laredo (41), The Woodlands (44), Katy (45), Pharr (58), Allen (61), Edinburg (62), North Richland Hills (64), Midland (65), Missouri City (67), Mission (70), Spring (73), Carrolton (82), Rowlett (83), San Angelo (90), Brownsville (97), Wylie (102), Grand Prairie (105), El Paso (107), Victoria (108), Conroe (111), Harlingen (112), Abilene (120), Amarillo (137), Odessa (145), Irving (149), Plano (150), Bryan (153), Lubbock (169), Wichita Falls (178), Richardson (189), Eagle Pass (205), Lewisville (206), Corpus Christi (209), Fort Worth (212), Tyler (222), Longview (233), and Arlington (249), Dig deeper U.S. News & World Report used data from Applied Geographic Solutions (AGS) and U.S. News' own internal resources. AGS develops its core database and specialized indexes from both private and government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, the Federal Reserve and the Bureau for Economic Analysis, as well as state and local sources. The data was then categorized into five indices: Quality of Life, Value, Desirability, Job Market, and Net Migration. Each was weighted on a percentage based on the answers to a February 2025 public survey. Read more about their methodology here. What they're saying "In Pflugerville, our community is at the heart of every decision we make. Whether you're a newcomer, long-time community member, or visiting, our goal is to make every person feel at home and welcome," said Pflugerville Mayor Victor Gonzales. "Pflugerville is a wonderful place to live, and we're thrilled that the advancements we've made in our infrastructure, amenities and services earn us a #15 ranking in the distinguished U.S. News and World Report 2025-2026 Best Places to Live," he added. Pflugerville calls itself the Trail Capital of Texas, boasting about 56 miles of trails. The city says it continues to invest in the future with ongoing initiatives that expand its infrastructure, water & wastewatercapacity and mobility to keep up with growth. The Source Information in this report comes from the US News & World Report and the city of Pflugerville