Police: Mom left kids to get Xmas tree

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An Albuquerque mother claimed she left her two young children at home in the early hours of Friday morning to get a Christmas tree.

Police said Ruby Adame's 5-year-old son was found wandering Rio Grande Blvd. in below freezing temperatures. The child was only wearing his pajamas.

The boy told a concerned couple who had stopped to see if he was OK that he left home because he was hungry and was on his way to his grandparents’ house, according to the criminal complaint.

The child told the couple his mother had gone to a concert the previous night with a friend.

The husband and wife took the boy back to his house on Matthew Avenue and waited until police arrived.

According to the criminal complaint, the door to the home was open and unlocked. A 1-year-old baby was asleep inside the home when police got there.

When Adame arrived back at her house, it was close to 5:00 a.m.
Adame told investigators she'd been at a family party earlier that night, had a few drinks and left the party to take the children home to bed.

Adame said she left around 1:30 a.m. to get the Christmas tree and told police her car broke down on the way home.

During her first appearance in Albuquerque Metropolitan Court on Saturday, Judge Daniel Ramczyk said he was not happy with Adame.

“I'm going to keep the bond at $20,000 cash or surety,” Judge Ramczyk explained to Adame. “Ms. Adame these are very serious allegations, hopefully the children's father is somewhere in the picture, I don't know what else to do.”

The two boys were released into the custody of a family member.

Police said Adame has two other children who were staying with relatives that night.

Metro Court background investigators said Adame used to work at a child care center.