New Mexico
Dog missing for four years found 500 miles away in different state
A beloved dog that went missing in Colorado in 2020 was recently found on the streets of New Mexico some 500 miles away.
Patches the pup and her owner Benjamin Baxter were reconnected over the weekend in a heartfelt reunion four years after she went missing from a friend’s home, local news station KRQE reported.
The pooch was staying at Baxter’s friends’ home in Calahan, Colorado after he relocated to Nebraska for work and moved into a home that didn’t permit residents to have pets.
Baxter was looking for a new place where he could bring Patches home but the free-willed canine disappeared before he could bring her to Nebraska, according to the outlet.
“She’s kind of been a Houdini her whole life. And we had ventured all over the country together. So, for her to, you know, run away, you know, chasing butterflies or rabbits, like it wasn’t uncommon, but she always came home,” Baxter told the station.
But this time was different.
“By day seven, I was like, there’s just no way, I’m never going to find this dog again,” Baxter said.
It may have taken a bit longer than expected, but Baxter finally got the call that his dog was found.
His wife called to let him know that Patches was at the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She had been found living as a stray on the streets of the city of Anthony by local animal control and brought to the shelter.
The shelter checked for a microchip and found Baxter’s info.
“I’m looking through these pictures. I’m like, ‘this is my dog,’” he said. “I haven’t seen this dog. I have thought this dog has been probably dead for the last four years. And just seeing her was, I mean, mind-boggling. I cannot explain to you how crazy that was.”
Patches, who is now 10 years old, made the long journey from New Mexico to Nebraska with the help of friends like the one in Colorado who was caring for the pup when she went missing.
She finally made it back to her owner — four years and many miles later — on Sunday.
“I’m not a big crier. But you know, I definitely was getting some teary eyes just seeing my dog back in front of me again,” Baxter told KRQE.
The shelter that helped reunite the pair reminded pet owners to get their beloved family members microchipped — using Baxter and Patches’ story as a testament to the technology.
“This reunion serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of love and the remarkable role technology plays in reuniting lost companions,” Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley Executive Director Clint Thacker wrote in an email to KRQE. “Please remember to microchip your pets and keep the owner information current.”
LAS CRUCES, N.M (KFOX14/CBS4) — A gun-tracking program that uses shell casings to connect shootings is already helping investigators link crimes in Doña Ana County, according to new numbers released by the New Mexico Department of Justice.
The effort is part of New Mexico’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center, which uses ballistic evidence such as shell casings to track guns believed to be used in multiple crimes. The program relies on the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, a national database that compares ballistic evidence to determine whether shell casings may have come from the same weapon.
In April, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez described how the technology can connect cases across jurisdictions.
“There may be a shooting that occurs in Deming that’s actually connected to a crime gun that’s recovered in Las Cruces. We may find shell casings in Silver City that are connected to something that happened in T or C,” Torrez said.
Four months into the program, the Department of Justice said 210 bullet casings have been analyzed in Doña Ana County. Those casings helped link 32 incidents to 13 guns.
Jordan Salas reports on New Mexico DOJ data: Shell-casing tracking links shootings in Doña Ana County (Credit: KFOX14)
Statewide, more than 700 casings have been entered into the system, connecting 74 shootings to 31 guns.
One person reacting to the numbers said, “That’s crazy. Honestly, all those shootings all coming from that little amount of weapons is crazy.”
New Mexico officials say the system is designed to help law enforcement share information faster and build cases more efficiently.
Also in April, Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart pointed to a local case she said the technology helped resolve quickly.
“We resolved a homicide with a suspect arrest in four days. We know that those casings may lead to another 1 or 2 incidents in another city,” Stewart said.
Some residents said the technology alone will not solve gun violence, but they see it as a step forward. One person said, “I mean, growing up, like hearing gunshots in the distance. That wasn’t something crazy. I have stories of, like, friends who’ve gone to parties that had guns go off there. So, yeah, I would say guns are a problem there.”
Another person said, “I would think that it’s a good thing. I’m personally like, just anything to help the gun crimes, you know?”
KFOX14/CBS4 contacted Las Cruces police and the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office to ask how the leads are being used in local investigations, but we are awaiting a response.
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- Who: New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez brought a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc.
- Why: The state claims Meta misrepresented harms to minors and created a public nuisance through its social media platforms.
- Where: The lawsuit is pending in New Mexico state court.
- How to get help: Has social media impacted the mental health of you or your child? You may qualify to join a social media lawsuit against the platform.
New Mexico’s attorney general is asking a state court to order Meta to pay approximately $3.7 billion to address what the state describes as a “public nuisance” caused by the company’s social media platforms.
The request comes after a jury previously found Meta misrepresented the risks its platforms — including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp — pose to underage users. The jury also imposed a $375 million penalty in the first phase of the trial.
The case has now moved into a second phase, where the court will determine what additional remedies, if any, Meta must provide.
According to the state, the proposed $3.712 billion abatement plan would fund a 15-year effort to address the alleged harms caused by Meta’s platforms. The plan includes funding for public education, school resources, law enforcement support and mental health services for children affected by issues, such as online bullying and sexual exploitation.
“This request recognizes the scope of the public nuisance that Meta has caused,” counsel for the state argued in court.
The lawsuit alleges Meta concealed or downplayed the extent of harmful activity on its platforms while publicly portraying them as safe for younger users.
Meta disputes liability, challenges proposed abatement plan
Meta denies the allegations and argues there is no legal basis for the sweeping relief requested by the state.
Attorneys for the company contend the proposed abatement plan does not directly address or stop the alleged harmful conduct and instead seeks compensation for downstream effects.
“What no court has ever allowed … is payment for the downstream effects,” Meta’s counsel argued, describing the request as “damages masquerading as something else.”
The court is expected to hear additional testimony during the second phase of the trial before determining whether to approve any form of injunctive relief or financial remedies.
In March, a California jury found Meta and Google liable for mental health harms suffered by plaintiff Kaley G.M., who became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child, awarding $6 million in damages, including $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages.
What do you think about the claims against Meta in this case? Let us know in the comments.
The state is represented by Raul Torrez of the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and Donald Migliori, Linda Singer, Michael Pendell and David Ackerman of Motley Rice LLC.
The Meta lawsuit is New Mexico v. Meta Platforms Inc., et al., Case No. D-101-CV-2023-02838, in the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico.
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