Las Cruces, NM---Judge Marci Beyer has sentenced Sierra Salas to 12 years imprisonment but suspended all but 1 year on (6) counts of Child Abuse-Intentional and (3) counts of Child Abuse-Negligently Permit, all third degree felonies. Salas pled “no contest” in June 2014 to all the charges.
On November 29, 2011 Salas took her son to Mountain View Regional Hospital emergency room stating her son had fallen on Thanksgiving Day while she was in the shower. According to her, the child sustained a swollen lip that eventually got worse and infected. Officers with Las Cruces Police Department noted the child had numerous other injuries including to the left eye, bruising on the face, neck & feet, scratches on his head & cheek, a broken right arm and left wrist.
Hospital officials stated that all the injuries the 18-month old child displayed were consistent with child abuse and CYFD took custody at that time.
Salas maintained that her boyfriend Nick Medina had bitten the boy on the side of his face causing the swelling. She changed her version of events several times but did not admit she caused the remaining injuries nor did she explain how they occurred.
In her address to the court Chief Deputy District Attorney Roxeanne Esquibel requested Judge Beyer to sentence Salas to 21 years and noted that the “child was tortured, it was not just one time but rather over a period of time” and whether or not Sierra Salas had inflicted the wounds she failed to protect her child. Prior to the sentence Judge Beyer stated she was had been troubled over this case and that this innocent child needed to be protected.
Salas has been imprisoned for the last 6 months and after completion of the sentence received today she will be on probation for 5 years.
Nick Medina pled no contest to child abuse in May 2014 and the Honorable Judge Marci Beyer suspended Medina’s 6 year sentence to 5 years supervised probation.
Information from: Third Judicial District Attorney's Office