Jury convicts mother for death of 6-month-old baby

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A jury convicted a mother charged with the death of her six-month-old baby at a Days Inn hotel in northwest Albuquerque.

The jury took less than 30 minutes to reach a verdict on Gloria Tesillo. They convicted her of first-degree child abuse resulting in death and third-degree child abuse.

Tesillo told police she was working at the Days Inn and left her twin infants in the care of her sister in a hotel room. Her six-month-old twins and the father of the twins were also staying there.

When Tesillo got back to their room, she found one of the twins unconscious and not breathing.

According to police, an officer was flagged down near the hotel about the baby. First responders then arrived and tried lifesaving measures. However, the child was pronounced dead.

Officers said they found drugs and drug residue littered throughout the room, well within the reach of the baby and her sister. Police said there was a “straw pipe” in a car seat, and documents say “black tar residue” was covering most of the floor.

Medical investigators later determined the baby’s cause of death was the toxic effect of meth.

Investigators say they interviewed the father, who said he used fentanyl while watching the children and passed out. When he woke up, he found the child dead.

Authorities did a hair follicle test on the other child. That child reportedly tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl, cannabis, meth and benzodiazepines.

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