A 22-year-old Las Cruces mother is behind bars after her 17-month-old daughter tested positive for methamphetamine late last month.
Marissa Dianne Garcia is charged with child abuse and a probation violation following an October car crash that led to information indicating she may be endangering her child.
LCPD initiated the investigation on Oct. 13 when police were called to a crash at the intersection of Las Cruces and Manzanita. A Toyota Corolla Garcia was a passenger in crashed into a utility pole. Officers say the car had a fake license plate, several hypodermic needles and drug paraphernalia inside.
Garcia was on probation for her role in an East Mesa burglary ring conviction at the time of the crash. During a parole office interview on Oct. 16, she admitted to using heroin and meth on the day of the crash. She also admitted that she often held her 17-month-old daughter after she used meth. Garcia was referred to a drug program which she failed to report to according to court records.
Child Youth and Family Department investigators attempted to locate Garcia’s daughter and determined she’d been left unattended with a convicted felon on supervised release for DWI and Child Abuse.
Her daughter was drug tested by CYFD and tested positive for methamphetamine Oct. 23. The toddler was turned over to the protective custody of Garcia’s mother.
Garcia was later arrested on Nov. 16 for violation of the terms of her probation. She is currently being held in the Doña Ana County Detention Center without bond.
(Story from www.elpasoproud.com)
