Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Andrea Reeb, announced that Kayla Bass, age 25, of Clovis, NM, pleaded guilty to several counts of child abuse today [Thursday] in District Court. Bass pleaded guilty pursuant to Alford, in lieu of a one week jury trial that was scheduled to begin next week.
In April of 2013, police were called to a Clovis residence to assist CYFD. They found Kayla Bass’s 18 month old child with bruising to his head, chest, back, feet, arms, hands, face, and genitals. It was later determined that the child had a broken clavicle, cigarette burns, and bite marks on his body. The child was flown to Lubbock for treatment due to the severity of his injuries and remained hospitalized for many days.
The Honorable Drew Tatum presided over the plea hearing today and ordered that Bass be sent to the Department of Corrections for a diagnostic evaluation which could take up to 60 days. After the report of evaluation is received, the Court will set a date for sentencing. Bass faces up to 18 years in the Department of Corrections. Open arguments will be heard by the Honorable Judge Tatum at a later date. The State will be asking the Honorable Drew Tatum to sentence Bass to the maximum 18 years in prison.
District Attorney Andrea Reeb stated, “In my 19 years of being a prosecutor, this is one of the saddest and worst child abuse case I have seen in my career. A small child does not have the verbal ability tell anyone that the abuse is occurring. However, due to a combination of a great investigation by the Clovis Police Department, the Arise Sexual Assault Unit, the Children, Youth and Families Department, and excellent medical personnel, this child is now out of harm’s way. Hopefully this abuser will now be held accountable for the horrific actions she inflicted on an innocent child.”
The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Andrea Reeb. Criminal defense attorney, Jonathan Miller, represented the defendant.
(Press release from Ninth Judicial District Attorney)
