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The girl is still in the hospital.
Deputies said Julio Iturralde and his girlfriend were staying at a hotel in Los Lunas when the mother ran outside to get items from the car. According to the criminal complaint, she could hear the baby screaming, but Iturralde wouldn’t open the door.
Eventually he did and the mother said she saw a tremendous amount of blood in the baby’s diaper.
She told investigators she wanted to take the baby to a doctor, but Iturralde wouldn’t let her out of the hotel room. She said that’s when he pulled out a pipe and began smoking meth.
She took the man home the next day and then got the baby medical care, according to the complaint.
Staffers at University of New Mexico Hospital contacted law enforcement.
For Valencia County Capt. Gary Hall, crimes involving meth are some of the absolute worst -- and he’s been in law enforcement for more than three decades.
“When I first started in this career you would have a homicide or somebody that got beat up. Nothing of this nature -- and nothing that goes to these extremes. Meth is probably the worst drug that I can ever think of,” said Hall.
Iturralde is behind bars and is being held without bond. He’s charged with multiple crimes, including criminal sexual penetration of a child, false imprisonment and child abuse.
Investigators said the baby’s mother could also face charges.
Though still in the hospital, the baby is in the custody of the Children, Youth and Families Department.
