NM - Alexee Trevizo, 19, Charged with murder of newborn in trash can, Artesia, Jan 2023

[renarde]

"She's at the only facility where she can get help and then this happens?" Mitchell said. "I have serious problems with that. I have serious problems with the hospital care, I have serious problems with the records we're not getting out of this hospital because I don't necessarily think it's correct and honest."

Mitchell also questioned the medication Treviza was given while at the hospital.

"They did some lab work, but they gave some medication before and gave it anyway and that's powerful painkillers," he said.

'I don't care what the state of New Mexico may allege': Whole story not yet told in case of Artesia teen charged in newborn son's death, attorney says

The defense attorney for an Artesia teenager whose newborn son died in a hospital bathroom trash bin in January told a local news outlet on May 12 that he has "serious problems" with how his client is being treated.

newmexicosun.com

 

[RickshawFan]

"She's at the only facility where she can get help and then this happens?" Mitchell said. "I have serious problems with that. I have serious problems with the hospital care, I have serious problems with the records we're not getting out of this hospital because I don't necessarily think it's correct and honest."

Mitchell also questioned the medication Treviza was given while at the hospital.

"They did some lab work, but they gave some medication before and gave it anyway and that's powerful painkillers," he said.

'I don't care what the state of New Mexico may allege': Whole story not yet told in case of Artesia teen charged in newborn son's death, attorney says

The defense attorney for an Artesia teenager whose newborn son died in a hospital bathroom trash bin in January told a local news outlet on May 12 that he has "serious problems" with how his client is being treated.

newmexicosun.com

I didn't understand the painkillers, either, especially since they already verified she was pregnant (they just didn't know how far along). The hospital could have damaged the baby, no?

Alexee was already in labor, however (so the medication didn't have a side effect of inducing labor). We know that because the sister told LE that the pain had been going already a whole day and night (or something like that).

 

[RickshawFan]

"She's at the only facility where she can get help and then this happens?" Mitchell said. "I have serious problems with that. I have serious problems with the hospital care, I have serious problems with the records we're not getting out of this hospital because I don't necessarily think it's correct and honest."

Mitchell also questioned the medication Treviza was given while at the hospital.

"They did some lab work, but they gave some medication before and gave it anyway and that's powerful painkillers," he said.

'I don't care what the state of New Mexico may allege': Whole story not yet told in case of Artesia teen charged in newborn son's death, attorney says

The defense attorney for an Artesia teenager whose newborn son died in a hospital bathroom trash bin in January told a local news outlet on May 12 that he has "serious problems" with how his client is being treated.

newmexicosun.com

I hope Alexee isn't planning on college this fall. That would be a travesty. No way should she be enjoying life as a frosh at this particular time (except maybe online).

 

[renarde]

I didn't understand the painkillers, either, especially since they already verified she was pregnant (they just didn't know how far along). The hospital could have damaged the baby, no?

Alexee was already in labor, however (so the medication didn't have a side effect of inducing labor). We know that because the sister told LE that the pain had been going already a whole day and night (or something like that).

"The opioids commonly used in childbirth include morphine and remifentanil. Morphine is usually used in the early stages of labor. If used too close to delivery, it can cause temporary breathing and heart rate problems in your baby after birth. Your baby may need help breathing if this happens."

Making Sense of Childbirth Pain Relief Options

An ob-gyn discusses common pain relief options and how to think about your choices.

www.acog.org

 

[gitana1]

That’s why I feel for some of these young women. I don’t condone what they do, but have room for empathy.

After considering Alexee’s behavior in the months since, I have lost any iota of empathy I had for her, though…

She seems to have learned how to manipulate and to view her need to avoid her mother’s condemnation as more important than life.

I note that women who do this are typically very young and have no maternal instinct or connection to their child.

It’s hard to have empathy for someone so self-involved, manipulative and stubbornly dishonest.

But obviously, these cases are complex.

I’d like to see comprehensive, non-judgmental sex education in our schools. The link between a lack of sex education and increased unwanted pregnancies and STI’s is uncontroverted.

I think shaming teens for having natural feelings and being sexual, is wrong. IMO they should be given the tools to have safe sex if they choose to have sex. My gosh we are wired for it. Their hormones are coursing through their bodies and it’s too easy for most to find the opportunity to give in to their natural instincts.

So, teach them, non-judgmentally, about safe sex and consent. Give them the tools to protect themselves.

We’d see less of this horror if we did that.

 

[gitana1]

She was a legal adult, not a girl. If what she did wasn't premeditated murder, at what point after the birth would it have been?
I understand wanting to consider "why" this happens, but in the absence of psychosis or similar, I think people are responsible for their actions, especially adults.

In my legal opinion it doesn’t match first degree. It’s closer to second degree as defined in New Mexico. A good defense attorney could make a case for voluntary manslaughter.

 

[gitana1]

Yes, Mr Attorney, if you go the “right place” and still murder your baby, then throw him in the garbage, this is the result.

Yeah. When attorneys make statements like that it infuriates me. Such statements should backfire. She went because she had no choice. Not because she wanted help with her labor.

 

[Seattle1]

"The opioids commonly used in childbirth include morphine and remifentanil. Morphine is usually used in the early stages of labor. If used too close to delivery, it can cause temporary breathing and heart rate problems in your baby after birth. Your baby may need help breathing if this happens."

Making Sense of Childbirth Pain Relief Options

An ob-gyn discusses common pain relief options and how to think about your choices.

www.acog.org

Thanks for the quoted link.

I concur with OP that Morphine Sulfate Injection, (USP is supplied as a sterile solution in single-use Carpuject™ and iSecure™ syringes for intravenous administration) is typical treatment during early labor with warnings to closely observe neonates whose mothers received opioid analgesics during labor for respiratory depression-- especially if administered during later stages of labor.

It appears to me the defense is alleging that AT was receiving a Morphine IV when she told staff about her immediate urge to defecate and requested to get out of bed to go to the restroom.

Defense Attorney Mitchell alleges the Morphine IV is seen in hospital surveillance videos being removed from AT by an attendant as she makes her way out of bed to walk down the hallway to the restroom where she soon after gave birth.

However, what's not clear to me is whether the dosage AT received at hospital was a therapeutic level for late labor, and considered safe for the neonate.

Linked research indicates Morphine syringes specifically for intravenous are supplied in strengths from 2mg/mL, 4mg, 8mg, 10mg, to 15mg/mL with 15mg being the highest.

Attorney Mitchell alleges toxicology for the newborn indicated the baby tested at 14mg/mL but this has not been confirmed.

FDA provides the following about Morphine Sulfate injection label Use in Specific Populations:

8.2 Labor and Delivery

Morphine readily passes into the fetal circulation and may result in respiratory depression and psycho-physiologic effects in neonates. Naloxone and resuscitative equipment should be available for reversal of narcotic-induced respiratory depression in the neonate. In addition, parenteral morphine may reduce the strength, duration and frequency of uterine contractions resulting in prolonged labor. However, this effect is not consistent and may be offset by an increased rate of cervical dilatation, which tends to shorten labor. Closely observe neonates whose mothers received opioid analgesics during labor for signs of respiratory depression.

8.3 Nursing Mothers

[..] see linked data

Other unknowns include any action by AT leading up to her arrival at the hospital that may have placed the neonate at risk and/or contributed to the infant's death -- especially if true AT had been in labor for a couple of days at home.

Nonetheless, I think the defense will have a difficult time excusing AT's behavior if they insist on a defense that the 19 yr old honor student was simply in "shock." -- That and if AT's mother continues to enable the defendant from now until the October trial date where AT's somehow the victim. JMO

Of course, the real tragedy, and what I think most are reacting to, is that the infant was actually exactly where it needed to be to receive any required neonate care including respiratory assistance.

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/202515s000lbl.pdf

ETA: parenteral morphine means by IV or bypassing the gastrointestinal system, and also may have increased the rate of cervical dilation and/or shortened labor.

 

[LadyL]

AT was arrested on May 10 and attended prom 3 days later! However, she was not allowed to attend her graduation which was held on May 25, 2023.

strange ... maybe the word hadn't gotten out yet before her prom

 

[LadyL]

"The opioids commonly used in childbirth include morphine and remifentanil. Morphine is usually used in the early stages of labor. If used too close to delivery, it can cause temporary breathing and heart rate problems in your baby after birth. Your baby may need help breathing if this happens."

Making Sense of Childbirth Pain Relief Options

An ob-gyn discusses common pain relief options and how to think about your choices.

www.acog.org

oh no
I have a sinking feeling she's going to get away with this

 

[Seattle1]

I didn't follow the other pregnant teen also from NM (Alexis Avila-19) but in comparison, she was recently convicted and sentenced to 16 yrs in prison for attempted first-degree murder after she tossed a black trash bag containing her newborn into a dumpster bin and drove away. Miraculously, five hours later a good Samaritan found the baby in the dumpster still alive during January, cold temperatures!

She faced up to 18 years, and the prosecutor reminded New Mexico law allows people to take babies up to 90 days old to "safe haven sites" without being charged with child abandonment.

New Mexico woman sentenced to 16 years for placing baby in dumpster

Alexis Avila, who was 18 at the time, was convicted of attempted murder and child abuse. The newborn was found and survived.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Seattle1]

strange ... maybe the word hadn't gotten out yet before her prom

I dunno. AT had the baby on Jan 27 in a town where the population is just under 12,000. I can't imagine any scenario where the entire school didn't know about the "Cheerleader's" ordeal-- and probably watching the calendar for the day of her arrest and charges filed. Also, AT wasn't a minor and this was all public information with AT's arrest coming out on the heels of Alexis Avila's trial and conviction. In other words, I think the entire town was saturated with this news. JMO

 

[Soulmagent]

Morphine 30 minutes before... and during late labor? Is that normal? Was this before or after the positive pregnancy test? Are they going to try to shift some of the blame onto the hospital staff?

<moo>

If it wasnt normal would that change anything about how you think about the case?

Just wondering. I honestly am a bit behind but scroll backwards to catch up ,so I think this is the first post I have seen that mentions morphine . So I am kinda like thinking there is no way they did not have proir records and no way they gave her meds without running urine tests.. But we already know I am behind.
I didnt relize I was 1800's behind though.

 

[Seattle1]

Alexee Trevizo sought her case transferred to a new Judge -- resulting in the Trial date pushed out to Feb 1, 2024. CASE NUMBER: D-503-CR-202300159

Stale Session

caselookup.nmcourts.gov

 

[Seattle1]

Artesia mother Alexee Trevizo accused of killing newborn released by court ahead of trial

Alexee Trevizo was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond following a Tuesday hearing in front of Eddy County District Judge David Finger.

www.currentargus.com

5/28/23

Alexee Trevizo was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond following a Tuesday hearing in front of Eddy County District Judge David Finger.

[..]

She was required to attend counseling and was permitted to travel to Texas without permission to visit family. Any other out-of-state travel will require permission from the court.

If any terms are violated, Trevizo will be sent back to jail ahead of the trial.

[..]

Trevizo was arrested May 10 after an investigation into a January incident at Artesia General Hospital where police said a newborn baby she gave birth to in a bathroom at the hospital was later found dead in a trashcan.

[..]

She locked herself in a bathroom, read a criminal complaint, exiting after an “extended amount of time.”

Cleaning staff found the bathroom covered in blood, the complaint read, and found the infant at about 2:26 a.m.

Trevizo told police the baby was dead upon birth, but an autopsy filed by the Office of the Medical Investigator showed air in the baby’s lungs and no defects or injuries consistent with a still birth, read the complaint.

The autopsy did show injuries indicating the baby likely suffocated after birth.

 

[MissMalowe]

strange ... maybe the word hadn't gotten out yet before her prom

Prom was April 22nd according to this DM article. So after the incident, but prior to her arrest & release on bond.
Alexee Trevizo is all smiles at 3 months after dumping baby in trash

 

[RickshawFan]

"The opioids commonly used in childbirth include morphine and remifentanil. Morphine is usually used in the early stages of labor. If used too close to delivery, it can cause temporary breathing and heart rate problems in your baby after birth. Your baby may need help breathing if this happens."

Making Sense of Childbirth Pain Relief Options

An ob-gyn discusses common pain relief options and how to think about your choices.

www.acog.org

Theoretically, the docs could have caused the baby to have breathing problems at birth?

Notwithstanding, a) the baby was actually breathing; b) you don’t throw a baby away; and if a living thing of any kind appears dead, you call for help.

In the video of the house manager, she says the doctor was a mess, which also looked to me to be the case from the get-go. The doctor didn’t attend to the medical needs of her other patient, namely Alexee. She was losing all that blood, she knew Alexee had lost all that blood, ‘cos there was blood all over the bathroom. Between when they knew there was all that blood and when they found the baby, there was at least 20 minutes. Why weren’t they administering to Alexee?

Also, the docs knew Alexee was pregnant before this whole event. They used one of those insta-tests. They just didn’t know how far along she was (they were waiting on urine test results). But surely, they must have realized she was close to term? Alexee’s belly was huge, she was experiencing severe back pain; no sign that the doctors checked to see if the cervix was dilated, or if there was a fetal heartbeat. All they’d need for the latter is a stethoscope?

The docs never thought to ask Alexee’s mom to leave the room when they noted Alexee was suffering from mom-pressure? Easy to just insist; docs do this all the time. Alexee is an adult, so her mom was really just a visitor. They might then have been able to get the real story from Alexee. I just think the hospital interaction was a hot mess.

 

[Hexe]

In the video of the house manager, she says the doctor was a mess, which also looked to me to be the case from the get-go. The doctor didn’t attend to the medical needs of her other patient, namely Alexee. She was losing all that blood, she knew Alexee had lost all that blood, ‘cos there was blood all over the bathroom. Between when they knew there was all that blood and when they found the baby, there was at least 20 minutes. Why weren’t they administering to Alexee?

We do not know what they administered or not to Alexee.

Also, the docs knew Alexee was pregnant before this whole event. They used one of those insta-tests. They just didn’t know how far along she was (they were waiting on urine test results). But surely, they must have realized she was close to term? Alexee’s belly was huge, she was experiencing severe back pain; no sign that the doctors checked to see if the cervix was dilated, or if there was a fetal heartbeat. All they’d need for the latter is a stethoscope?

They can't examine a patient who does not want to be examined. They can't forcibly peek into anyone's vagina or use any instrument. And Alexee refused any examination.

 

[Seattle1]

AT was arrested on May 10 and attended prom 3 days later! However, she was not allowed to attend her graduation which was held on May 25, 2023. Senior Prom on April 22.

^^Edit by me - wrong date.

ETA: Add link to School Calendar

CalendarWiz Welcome

 

[RickshawFan]

We do not know what they administered or not to Alexee.



They can't examine a patient who does not want to be examined. They can't forcibly peek into anyone's vagina or use any instrument. And Alexee refused any examination.

I understood from ^^^ that they had administered pain medication before the incident. I haven't seen where Alexee refused any examination. She was indeed examined after the incident. The examination is in the hospital videos eek.