A 2-month-old infant had injuries.
The infant was flown to a hospital in El Paso because of his injuries.
What Police Have — and Haven't — Said
Alamogordo police identified Vazquez as the suspect in the case, but the department has not disclosed his relationship to the child, per the same report. That gap leaves open a basic question in the case that officers have so far declined to answer publicly.
Under New Mexico law, the charge Vazquez faces carries serious weight. Legislative text cited by the New Mexico Legislature states that “if the abuse results in great bodily harm to the child, the person is guilty of a first degree felony.” That statutory language describes the category of offense Vazquez has been charged with; it is not a determination of his guilt, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court, as the original report notes.
Case Remains Early in the Legal Process
Jason Herrera was held at the Otero County Detention Center.
Cases alleging severe injury to a young child draw scrutiny well beyond New Mexico's borders. A similar case made headlines in January 2024, when Kerri Anne Santos of Gardner, Massachusetts was arrested in New Mexico and charged with child abuse resulting in death and child abuse resulting in great bodily harm, according to The Gardner News. That case underscores how seriously New Mexico treats allegations of great bodily harm to children.
