ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – On October 29, a little after 9:30 p.m., the Albuquerque Police Department was dispatched to an apartment near Central and Wyoming. They were alerted by the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department that a five-year-old boy was inside and badly injured.
The video showed police approaching the gate, where they found Felipe Valencia. He was heard in the lapel video dodging questions about whether there was a child inside the home. Then, officers started talking to the child’s mother, Natalie Saiz. When police asked if there was a child inside, she said her son was in the home, and he was bruised up a little bit after he fell off of the bed. Police believe that was the first lie of many that night.
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While the couple agreed to let the officers inside, the police had no idea what they were about to see. As soon as police officers saw the boy’s condition, the video showed the officers grabbing him and heading for the door, where things took a turn.
The lapel video shows Valencia holding his girlfriend, Saiz, back while she screams. Police say things got physical, with Saiz shoving and trying to punch one of the officers. After the officers took the boy outside, they got a closer look at him. Police said the boy couldn’t see out of his eyes and had bruises all over his body.
Prosecutors are trying to keep Saiz behind bars until her trial. They will argue their case for that on Friday. A judge ruled last week that Valencia will stay behind bars.
