A young mum has been arrested for the death of her baby son after she called the police a week before to ask for help, claiming she was overwhelmed and did not want to hurt her kids.
Kiria Lynn Milton, 30, is accused of killing her one-month-old son at her home on Clearview Drive in El Cerro Mission in the US state of New Mexico on 15th November.
Just after 8am, officers from the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) went to the property following a call about a dead infant at the home.
The police found the unresponsive baby with signs of blunt force trauma after the mother called the emergency services for help.
The VCSO said in a statement on 15th November: “Shortly after 8:00 A.M. this morning, Monday (11/15/2021), Valencia County deputies responded to the 10th block of Clearview Drive Los Lunas, NM in reference to an unattended death of an infant.
“The infant’s mother, 20-year-old Kiria Lynn Milton, contacted 911 for assistance. Upon arrival deputies located a one month old male child who had signs of blunt force trauma and was unresponsive.”
The Office of the Medical Examiner pronounced the infant dead at the scene, and the VCSO said the authorities are still establishing the exact cause of death.
While at the property, officers also encountered a four-year-old boy and took him to a hospital in Albuquerque to undergo a precautionary evaluation.
The Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) went to the house and took the child into state care on a 48-hour hold following his release from the hospital check.
The VCSO statement said: “The child was pronounced deceased on scene by the Office of the Medical Examiner (OMI). While on scene, VCSO deputies also made contact with a 4 year old male child who was transported to UNM Hospital (UNMH) in Albuquerque for a precautionary evaluation. CYFD (Children, Youth and Families Department) was called to the scene for assistance and the 4-year-old child was taken into state’s custody on a 48-hour hold upon release from UNMH.”
The children’s father, who was out of state on a business trip, returned home after hearing about the incident.
The VCSO said: “Mrs. Milton is currently being detained for questioning by the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). The children’s father, Saint Daniel Padilla, has been contacted and is returning home from an out of state business trip.”
VCSO Sheriff Denise Vigil said: “We are in contact with the district attorney’s office and we will be working with them on this case.”
She added that officers and CYFD officials responded to a call at the same property last week after the mother called 911 to say she needed help with her kids.
Vigil said: “She basically said she felt overwhelmed and did not want to hurt her children. Deputies performed a mental health check and when they arrived, they did contact CYFD.”
Milton has been sent for a psychiatric evaluation and her partner has been deemed a safe person to take care of the children, according to the VCSO.
The Sheriff said: “We did the things we were supposed to do and CYFD did not keep us informed of their plan with the family. Unfortunately, we’re here today with this result and having to figure out the in-betweens.”
The investigation continues.
