Inmate melee halts good-behavior party

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An escaped inmate recently returned to a juvenile lockup was among those attending a party for well-behaved inmates that ended in a brawl which injured 25.

Adam Landon who had escaped last month was invited by staff to attend the event for those with good behavior, Romaine Serna of the state Children, Youth and Families Department confirmed Thursday. However Serna could not say whether Landon was involved in the fight.

The event for dozens of inmates who were doing well in school involved a bingo game in the gym of the Youth Diagnostic and Development Center in Albuquerque.

"One youth on one side of the gym jumped over and attacked a youth on the other side of the gym," said Serna. "You earn the privilege to attend.

"The kids there had not been in any incidents; the kids were behaving."

Serna said that staff had the melee under control in12 minutes before Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies and New Mexico State Police arrived. Six YDDC staffers were hurt breaking up the fighting, she said.

Once a full report is done by YDDC State Police will take over and determine whether any criminal charges will be filed. The fight may have gang connections, Serna said.

Activities have been cancelled on the campus.

Serna told News 13 that the fight appeared to be gang-related and that the injuries sustained in the fight were not serious.

She could not provide a figure on how many kids were invited to the event but said there were about 60 staffers and other adults present.

Coincidentally YDDC staffers just went through restraint training last week.

"We had adequate staff, and that is demonstrated by their ability to control this fight so quickly," Serna said.

Landon escaped from YDDC at 4000 Edith NE late last month with three other inmates after they cut a hole in a fence. Two were recaptured quickly, and Landon was taken back into custody several days later.

Inmate Ernesto Villalba remains on the loose.