New Mexico
Missing Pieces: A largely ignored blueprint? | 4 Investigates
What should we do with our state’s youngest criminals? It’s a question many leaders in New Mexico have different answers for.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — What should we do with our state’s youngest criminals? It’s a question many leaders in New Mexico have different answers for.
Harsher consequences? Perhaps, more time spent behind bars?
One expert argues the state is missing the most important piece of the puzzle.
There are crimes that shock us to our core – many of them involving criminals who are just children – but we can only see parts of a much bigger picture related to troubled teens.
“We think of them as master criminals, monstrous individuals, but they’re not,” Dr. George Davis said. “The truth is they’re impulsive they’re dysregulated.”
Dr. George Davis spent decades working as a child psychiatrist. He spent many of those years working for the Juvenile Justice Division of the New Mexico Children Youth & Families Department.
Davis has boxes of information few other people have access to. That information went into a study published in 2016. While the research published in 2016 was based on 220 kids incarcerated in 2011, Davis expanded his study to include youth incarcerated from 2011 to 2018.
Davis said the unpublished study, comprised of more than 1,500 youth, mirrored his findings in 2016.
“I think the most shocking thing is how immense the load of trauma was in these delinquent kids,” he said. “It was stunning.”
Davis looked at ACEs – Adverse Childhood Experiences – and found almost every child in juvenile jail had a history of neglect. In fact, close to 8 in 10 children grew up in a household with substance abuse and more than 9 in 10 had a diagnosed substance use disorder.
Davis also discovered more than half of those children had prior contact with CYFD’s Protective Services Division. Of the female juveniles incarcerated, the research found some of them had an average of eight to nine referrals.
“I don’t know that we’ve talked specifically about the study because what’s in the study is what we all know,” said Kathey Phoenix-Doyle, the deputy CYFD secretary who works with the Family Services Division, focused on preventing abuse.
KOB 4 asked about research showing a history of physical and emotional neglect being present in 90% of juvenile delinquent offenders who are locked up.
“One of the areas we’re developing right now is our multi-level response, which is often called ‘Alternative Response.’ The reason I bring that up is, when you’re talking about neglect, what we’re doing is building a system where neglect cases may come in. Rather than an investigation, it shifts to a full family assessment,” Phoenix-Doyle said.
Phoenix-Doyle added that CYFD is making progress.
That’s despite new data showing the number of incarcerated kids, who are also involved in protective services, has doubled in the last four years.
“We’re looking to address, not only the delinquent behavior that happened but also what led to that behavior,” said Corey Adams, the deputy director of CYFD’s juvenile justice field services.
Adams said probation officers are working harder than ever to connect with kids in a more meaningful way.
“If that youth does not have any resources or doesn’t have somebody in their corner, that’s a huge red flag for us. Obviously, early substance abuse is. Truancy. If we’re seeing truancy, they are very likely to end up back in the office for a delinquent offense without some sort of intervention,” Adams said.
Dr. Davis agrees. He believes there is only one way to complete the juvenile justice picture in our state.
“People will say, ‘Well, if they’re damaged by early childhood abuse, then they’re still a public menace,’ and the fact is, a lot of that can be addressed,” Dr. Davis said. “I mean, the earlier you address it, the better. That’s why the reform that’s supposed to be going on at CYFD is so significant.”
It has been nine years since his study was published.
While CYFD said the report contains “what we all know,” child abuse prevention is still just 10% of the department’s overall budget. And our state’s repeat maltreatment rate is still among the highest in the nation.
“Missing Pieces” is a 4 Investigates series examining the evidence of a juvenile justice system once again under scrutiny. 4 Investigates is examining the problems in the system, the role that New Mexico’s Children Youth and Families Department is playing and meaningful solutions that have proven to work. Our goal is to be armed with knowledge as our lawmakers head to the Roundhouse in January.
Information and photos provided by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Eli Rodarte caught a 24-inch rainbow trout using worms in the bait…
New Mexico
Running hot and cold: New Mexico runners earn 17 All American awards at national XC championships
YOUTH SPORTS
Gianna Chavez earns fourth in boys 8-and-under race
New Mexico had 17 athletes earn All American awards at the 2025 National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship meet held Saturday at snowy Blue River Cross Country Course in Shelbyville, Indiana.
Gianni Chavez, of Albuquerque Athletics Track, earned his fourth USA Track & Field All American award with a fourth place finish in the 8-and-under boys 2K race. Chavez, an Osuna Elementary third-grader, ran his 2K race in a personal best time of 7 minutes, 44.9 seconds.
The top 25 individual finishers and top three teams earn USATF All American awards.
The Cougar Track Club 8U girls team, based out of Albuquerque, placed second and was led by Antonette Marquez, who finished 12th. Other CTC 8U girls team members include Kimberly Reed (31st), Viola Crabbe Maple (55th), Payton Pacheco (61st), Chloe Chino (85th), Emery Grieco (113th) and Zay’a Cheromiah (149th).
Others individual All American award winners include Ava Denton, of AAT, 16th in 13/14 girls 4K; Brynlee Reed, of CTC, 22nd in 15/16 girls 5K; Sihasin Fleg, of Running Medicine, 21st in 8U girls 2K; Eden Pino, of Running Medicine, 12th in 9/10 girls 3K; Nizhoni Fleg, of Running Medicine, 14th in 17/18 girls 5K; Brady Garcia, of Running Medicine, seventh in 17/18 boys 5K; Justice Jones, of Zia, 14th in 9/10 girls 3K; Emilo Otero Soltero, of Dukes Track Club, 12th in 9/10 boys 3K; Miles Gray, unattached, 21st in 9/10 boys 3K.
Also Saturday, at the Brooks Cross Country Nationals in San Diego, Eldorado’s Gianna Rahmer placed 17th in the girls championship 5K with a time of 18:00.7 and Moriarty’s Carmen Dorsey-Spitz placed 25th 18:09.4.
El Paso police seek suspect in East Side robbery, burglary
An unidentified man is suspected in an East Side robbery and a restaurant burglary on Oct. 20, 2025, in Crime Stoppers of El Paso’s Crime of the Week.
Provided by Crime Stoppers of El Paso
An Anthony, New Mexico man was sentenced to nearly two decades in federal prison for selling methamphetamine from a trailer on his parents’ property, authorities said.
A federal judge sentenced David Amaya, 43, to 19 years and seven months in prison on one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, New Mexico federal court records show. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release after he serves his prison term.
U.S. District Judge Margaret I. Strickland handed down the sentence on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the federal courthouse in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Williams prosecuted the case.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Ryan Ellison and FBI Albuquerque Field Office Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris announced Amaya’s sentencing in a joint news release.
Amaya pleaded guilty to the charge in September as part of a plea agreement that dismissed one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, court records show.
Anthony, New Mexico man sells meth on parents’ property
FBI agents began investigating Amaya after he sold methamphetamine to a “controlled buyer” in July and August 2024, the news release states. Controlled buys are when law enforcement uses an undercover agent or a witness to purchase drugs from a suspected drug dealer.
The agents obtained a search warrant on Aug. 22, 2024, for a “specific tow-behind type trailer that Amaya was known to be living in and conducting narcotics transfers out of,” a federal complaint affidavit states. The trailer was located on property owned by Amaya’s parents in Anthony, New Mexico, the news release states.
The trailer did not have a restroom, but agents found a small makeshift bathroom structure with a porta-potty inside next to the trailer. The agents then obtained a warrant to also search the small bathroom structure.
The agents found “a large quantity of white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine” throughout the trailer and bathroom structure, the affidavit states. In the bathroom, agents found a clothing hamper with “a gallon zip lock bag full of suspected methamphetamine” hidden inside.
Agents found a black Ruger .357 caliber handgun containing five rounds of .357 caliber ammunition and a black Mossberg 500 E410 gauge shotgun on the bed inside the trailer, the affidavit states. The news release states agents found “hundreds of rounds of ammunition.”
They also found about 4.42 grams of methamphetamine on the bed and another 26 grams under the bed, the affidavit states. Agents found eight more grams of methamphetamine on a nightstand.
Amaya told agents during an interview that the methamphetamine was his, he had acquired it over a period of time, and did not realize how much it was, the affidavit states. He added he “needed the guns for protection, so people would know he has them, making him safer,” the affidavit states.
In total, the agents found 1,183 grams of methamphetamine.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.
Business4 minutes ago
Trump signs order to limit state AI regulations, with California in the crosshairs
Entertainment10 minutes ago
Josh O’Connor plays a sensitive stripper on ‘SNL’ and Lily Allen’s ‘Madeline’ has a surprise
Lifestyle16 minutes ago
The Frayed Edge: Are Fashion’s Sustainability Efforts Misplaced?
Politics22 minutes ago
California’s role in shaping the fate of the Democratic Party and combating Trump on full display
Science28 minutes ago
A retired teacher found some seahorses off Long Beach. Then he built a secret world for them
Florida1 year ago
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Connecticut2 years ago
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
Oregon2 years ago
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Virginia1 year ago
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Education2 years ago
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
World46 minutes ago
Analysis: Trump’s policies set to widen EU-US innovation gap
News1 hour ago
With federal relief on the horizon, Black farmers worry it won’t come soon enough
Politics12 hours ago
Trump’s election win filled Hamas with ‘fear,’ hostage held like ‘slave’ for 505 days recounts
World13 hours ago
In Khartoum, exhumation of makeshift graves reawakens families’ grief
News13 hours ago
Manhunt under way for attacker after two students killed at US university
-
Alaska1 week agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Texas1 week agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Washington5 days agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa1 week agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Miami, FL1 week agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
-
Iowa1 day agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
World7 days ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
