Alexis Avila Found Guilty Of Attempted First-Degree Murder And Child Abuse Resulting In Serious Bodily Harm
A girl from Albuquerque, New Mexico named Alexis Avila received an 18-year prison term for abandoning her infant in a ditch behind a mall in January 2022.
Alexis Avila was found guilty on Monday by a jury of attempted first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in serious bodily harm.
The Associated Press reports that a state district court deferred two years of the sentence because of the defendant’s age and mental health problems. In near-freezing temperatures, 19-year-old Avila wrapped her infant in an unclean blanket or towel before tossing him in a trash can.
The confrontation was allegedly caught on camera, and surveillance footage helped in locating the adolescent by identifying a car thought to have been involved.
“I regret that his first hours of life were traumatic, and I regret that he will always have this in the back of his mind and believe I do not love him because that’s what he’ll read and hear,” Avila said to the Associated Press. “However, that is false. I adore the man. I’m sure of it.
The age of Alexis Avila is 19.
The infant was found alive by three good Samaritans when they were rummaging through the skip. The three individuals heard sounds and later found a baby boy with an umbilical chord still attached, according to the Associated Press.
According to the Associated Press in November 2022, authorities think the child had been in the trash for six hours and was experiencing hypothermia.
A family member’s restroom is where Avila, who was 18 at the time of the incident, allegedly gave birth to her son. According to a criminal complaint, Avila didn’t discover she was expecting until she saw a doctor on January 6 for stomach issues, as reported by the Associated Press.
The following day, she gave birth. “It came out when I flushed the toilet.” I was terrified and unsure of what to do. I was in fear. According to KATV-7, Avila told police during an interview, “I was afraid my mom would hate me.”
Ibukun Adepoju, Avila’s public defender, requested the judge for the least severe punishment possible in light of Avila’s age, lack of a criminal history, and involvement in the legal system.
Her mental illness, according to Adepoju, was a factor in her actions, which he claimed were unintentional. Judge William Shoobridge mandated that Avila undergo cognitive behavioral therapy and parenting classes while incarcerated in addition to the 18-year sentence.
Judge Shoobridge reportedly told Avila, “You’ve given yourself a life sentence of knowing what you did with your child.” “On top of that, you’ve also sentenced your son to life in jail, which is probably harder to live with than any amount of time you may have spent behind bars.
475 days of service will count toward Avila’s credit. The infant, who is now known as Saul, is currently in the care of other family members after surviving his injuries.
