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Davis said the unpublished study, comprised of more than 1,500 youth, mirrored his findings in 2016.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.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Seniors at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center say broken air conditioning has left the gym above 80 degrees during peak summer heat.
Angi Gonzales Carver said she goes to the center almost every day and now worries the heat could cancel classes for seniors, adults and kids.
The city said three HVAC roof units at the center need replacement. The city said those units are 20 years old and crews have put in one portable cooler and two fans for now.
“I have a temperature measure, and it was 88 and that was without people,” said Angi Gonzales Carver.
Carver says the center recently posted a warning sign saying staff will cancel classes and activities if the gym gets hotter than 78 degrees.
“A lot of them have to sit down and they’re they’re fanning themselves,” said Carver.
The city considers all multigenerational centers cooling centers, including Manzano Mesa. The city says it plans to add two more portable units next week while it works to restore the air conditioning.
“I mean, we, as seniors, we deserve better,” said Carver.
The City’s statement
A city spokesperson gave the following statement regarding the HVAC situation:
“The City is carrying out a planned replacement of the three HVAC roof units at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center, which are 20 years old. Portable cooling units support the gym and two additional portable units will be installed next week. All other areas of the facility remain fully air-conditioned and operational.”
Acres: 7,769 acres
Start Date: June 9, 2026
Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NM
Personnel: 169
Containment: 100%
Cause: Lightning
Summary: Containment lines are holding, and much of the repair work is completed on the Bear Fire. The Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team will transfer command of the fire back to the Gila National Forest and a Type 4 Incident Commander on Wednesday morning. Firefighters will continue to patrol and secure the perimeter while repair is completed.
Remarking on the success of firefighters on the Bear Fire, Incident Commander Marcus Cornwell said, “The support from the State of New Mexico Forestry Division, local landowners, and the Village of Quemado were instrumental in helping suppress the fire. Providing firefighters access to private land and use of Quemado High School proved pivotal.”
This will be the last daily update provided by the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team. Any future updates for the Bear Fire will come from the Gila National Forest.
Weather: Today’s high temperature will be in the mid 80s. Moisture moving in from the south will improve relative humidity and drop temperatures slightly. The forecast shows daily chances of thunderstorms through Friday.
Safety: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place through this evening. If you fly, we can’t! The Gila National Forest enacted an Area Closure Order for the Bear Fire.
Evacuations: Catron County Emergency Management lifted SET status for residences within zones 2, 3 and 4 on Thursday, June 18th. For more information about the change in evacuation status, visit Catron County Emergency Management.
Smoke: Smoke may be visible in and around surrounding communities. Air quality will vary based on fire activity, weather, and wind patterns. Residents should reduce prolonged outdoor activity when smoke is present and check the Air Quality Index before recreating or working outdoors. Sensitive groups should take extra precautions to limit smoke exposure. For real-time smoke conditions, visit https://fire.airnow.gov.
Fire Restrictions: The Gila National Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions due to long term severe drought in the Gila region, increased tree mortality across the forest, and forecasted hotter, drier weather conditions. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions limit campfires on forest land to designated recreation sites and campgrounds with constructed metal fire rings. Open burning is also prohibited in the unincorporated area of Catron County and in Catron County Fire District 30.
Public Information: 2026.bear@firenet.gov
Incident Information:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/nmgnf-bear-fire
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Southwest Albuquerque neighbors claim a woman targeted them for at least a year, throwing items into their yard, and leading one family to spend more than $1,000 on security.
Neighbors said they kept contacting Albuquerque police, the city and the state after the most recent encounter left a father with a cut on his face. They said Sunday’s arrest helped some, but they still do not feel safe.
Richard and Lindsey Boldin said they have dealt with harassment from Andrea Padilla-Garcia for at least a year. They said she has thrown broken glass, frozen food, a MacBook, metal poles and wood over their fence and dumped nail polish on it.
They said the incident with the glass resulted in a cut to Richard’s face.
“She can’t come back to where she lives. I won’t feel safe. There’s no way,” Lindsey Boldin said.
The Boldins said they spent more than a thousand dollars on security cameras, motion-sensor lights and other steps to protect their property. They also blocked the view into their yard, but said they still do not feel safe.
“It hurts the whole family. We’ve got to watch animals going outside. We have to watch when we go outside. You know, when can we go outside?” Richard Boldin said. “She kept coming to the fence and attacking the fence and shaking it and yelling at the fence at the children, you know, giving them inappropriate, you know, telling them inappropriate things.”
Neighbor Lawrence Lovato said he has lived in the neighborhood for about a year and what he has seen stands out from anything he has experienced before. He said he has called police multiple times.
“Never in my life have I have I seen something as horrible that I’ve seen here,” Lawrence Lovato said.
Lovato said he worries about his own safety and his daughter’s safety. Neighbors said they plan to keep looking out for one another and hope the latest arrest leads to help for Padilla-Garcia. She remains in jail and faced charges of battery and aggravated assault.
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