My boyfriend had dropped a piece of on the bed and I didn't know if he had gotten it or not. You know, >> I got to get to the bottom of the story. Where were where were they at? >> I have no idea. >> They were playing and then somehow this kiddo got a hold of what a blue or what? >> I have no idea. >> Cuz what happens with f bros they stopped breathing and then they have a heart attack and they die. That's that's how the overdoses happen. Okay. >> On March 24th, 2022, officers in Espanola, New Mexico were dispatched to a home after receiving a chilling call about an infant in distress. [music] The baby had been exposed to green beans and had to be rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit where thankfully doctors managed to stabilize the child. According to investigators, both parents had been using the dangerous substance inside the home, prompting state child protective services to intervene and ensure the infant's safety. >> What's up, Matthew? How are you, bro? I'm >> good. >> Have a seat, brother. Matthew, you got anything on you, bro? >> No. >> Have a seat, Big Dog. I know you're stressed out right now. So, um, my [clears throat] name's Officer Bars with the Espill Police Department. You obviously know I were called, right? >> Yeah. >> So, what happened, brother? >> I don't know, bro. The [laughter] [snorts] >> talk to me. >> Said that something that he that he might have uh swall from the friend, but she wasn't sure. >> The mother. Where's mom at now? >> She left in the car. >> She took off in the car. Mhm. >> What's mom's name? >> Uh, Kaitlyn. >> Caitlyn? What? And where is mom staying at? >> On the streets, bro. >> What car is she in right now? >> Nissan Ultima. >> What color? >> Blue. >> Blue Nissan Ultima. Where would she be going from here? >> I have no idea, sir. I have no idea. >> Do you have a an ID on you? >> I don't. I don't, sir. >> You recognize me? No. >> Okay. All right, bro. So, from >> Yeah. So, from beginning to end, tell me what happened. >> I know I know you're stressing out right now, brother, but I got I got a job to do right now. Okay. >> Yeah. >> The mother came and said that uh >> that he was that he was playing over there with the other kid and uh that her friend started freaking out about I don't know what the So, she got all scared and brought him and I was watching him. I gave him some milk and stuff and he started to like fall asleep, bro. So, I panicked and I just want to make sure he's okay, bro. >> So, your baby's okay right now. He's responsive. Okay. They they narcanned him and he's he's okay. I got to get to the bottom of the story. Where were they at? >> I have no ideas. >> The officer was intent on uncovering what really caused the overdose. But Matthew, overwhelmed and visibly shaken, couldn't bring himself to give a clear explanation. Perhaps because he didn't want to admit what had truly happened inside the house of horror. >> So, how did you how if you didn't know where they at, how did you come into contact with your with your baby again? She's the house. >> Where's your house at? >> Uh, the truck trailer park. >> Which house is it, bro? Which number would she be back over there now? >> Possibly. >> 7s meal. >> She doesn't have keys or anything. Hey, if you can send one of the units over to Cooks Mobile Home Park, check and see if that vehicle is located at uh what was the house number >> on house. >> So, basically, bro, she your your wife, your girlfriend or whatever mom, the baby's mom had the baby. They were hanging out somewhere. You don't know where. They were playing. They were playing and then somehow this kiddo got a hold of what a blue or what? >> I have no idea. So I I started yelling at her and >> freaking out on there, bro. >> So when she brought him to you, what did she tell you? >> She just said that she was worried. >> Tell You got to be a little bit more specific with me, bro. I got to find out. >> He was worried that she thought that her parent thought he might have took something >> and what what was her reasoning to that? >> I didn't ask all that. And so then she drove you up here with the baby or what? >> Yeah. >> And then took off as soon as you guys got in here. >> I didn't even know she left. I was the one that drove. >> Does your girlfriend >> I saw the keys right here too. I didn't know left in it. >> Does your girlfriend or or wife um is she known to use blues? >> Yeah, but she was supposed to be clean. >> Do you use blues, too, or no? She was supposed to be clean. >> In typical addict denial, Matthew insisted he was clean and claimed his girlfriend was supposed to be as well. But as the investigation unfolded, it quickly became clear that their unfitness as caregivers ran far deeper than anyone first realized. Do >> you use any other sort of narcotics there, bro? Just uh strips, bro. >> Suboxins. >> Yeah. So, I see I see your uh your work, right? So, you're you're a west loco. What do you go by on the streets, brother? Cuz I'll refer to you that just out of respect. You know what I mean? >> Local sir. >> He's okay, bro. He's Are you sure >> they have him? They're treating him right now. When I came in, he was screaming and crying. Okay. So, that's a good thing. That's a good [music] thing. >> Cuz what happens with fentanyl, bro, is they stop breathing and then they have a heart attack and they die. That's That's how the overdoses happen. Okay. So, you did the right thing bringing them in. >> I don't care. >> Look what was your first and what was your first last name again? >> Matthew. >> One. I got one for you by name and date of birth when you're clear. Name date of birth when you're clear. [snorts] >> Here's the thing. I got a couple questions, bro. So, so your your chick, is she homeless and not with you? You guys together? You guys like working on it or >> it's like off and on, bro? >> Off and on. here and there >> because so she so she's living in she's living homeless and then how's the how's the child custody go bro? How does that work? >> She h she has custody. >> She has custody of him. >> She has Yeah. >> And what was her first and last name again? >> Kayen. >> One 7 mill. I've got another one for you by name and uh >> yeah I can't keep >> approximate age when you get a chance. >> She's the one that has custody. >> So she has legal custody over a month. Are there is there documents docu uh court documents legal documents over that? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And what's his is it well obviously he might have asked you. So is he have you have custody or you >> the mom does? >> So we have like joint custody [music] with uh >> Yeah. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. So is it like a 50/50 or what? >> Yeah. As officers gained a clearer picture of the family's situation, Matthew's mother arrived on scene, hoping to help piece together who should be held accountable for the tragic events of that night. >> Hey, so for for for your for your baby's mom, that vehicle, is it a key fob or is it a key? >> It's a key fob. >> Okay. So, she can only get so far cuz you have the key fob with you, right? >> So, she's going to have to come back or wherever she shuts the car off, she's screwed. >> Yeah. >> Okay, ma'am. Um, who has custody? Cuz the understanding is is he has full custody. >> Him and mom have custody. >> Okay. Him and mom have custody and they they split it. >> Yep. >> Okay. Okay. >> Like I told you, does your does your >> go with me on the weekends? Because I pick him up every weekend, spend time with >> my my big question is mom is or grandma does she do you guys have a way of contacting her, calling her? >> Yes. >> Can we do that so we can get We need to get her here or There's a baby overdosing in the next room and we need to verify the stories because somebody's going to end up having to go to jail. >> Let me call her. Let's see if she can make it here. >> Um, give me one second. Let me talk to my sergeant cuz if she sees the police cars outside, [snorts] she might refuse to come. So, give me one minute. Okay. >> All right, brother. So, just for the time being, I'm going to cuff you from the front. Okay. But you are you are you are being detained right now. Okay, somebody we've got to figure this thing out. Turn your wrist like this for me. Like that. Okay. Let me double lock those for you so they don't push stuff on you. Oops. I'm not covering you from the back, bro, because I know you're stressed out right now. >> Can I get some more water, please, bro? >> Yeah. Yeah, I'll grab you some water. Um, this the thing, bro. Nothing matters right now but that baby that matters. >> Nothing that matters right now but that baby. The baby is the only thing that [music] matters. Okay. >> Yes, sir. >> There's an 18-year-old 18-month old baby in there that's fighting for their life, basically. You know what I'm saying? >> Yes, sir. >> It's one of those things, bro. You This is why you It's not worth the risk, Doug. And and those that fed, bro, is something else, you know? I I know you don't know what it was, but you know, lately [snorts] in law enforcement, bro, when we have drugs, it on babies, it's they >> eat the they eat the blues thinking it's a candy and >> that's it, bro. >> You know, >> that's it. >> So, you want me to take you >> and see what the story is. >> So, we're going to go up to we're going to go up to the jail. >> If his story checks out and she says, "Yeah, you know, whatever." Well, then we know where to go from there. Okay. >> As Matthew was being taken into custody, officers outside the hospital finally came face to face with the mother. And what they saw was a display of ignorance unfolding right before their eyes. So, I'm going to read you something real quick. Okay. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have him or her present with you while you're being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning. If you wish, you can decide at any time to exercise these rights, not answer my questions, or make any statements. Do you understand your rights if I explain them to you? >> Yes, sir. I understand. >> Having these rights in mind, are you willing to answer my questions? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> I was cleaning the stove and uh Matt, big Matt, not little Matt, not my son, was like, "Hey, dude, is he throwing up or what?" He was on the floor and he was crawling and I was like, "No, what is wrong with you, dude? Like, he's not throwing up cuz we were already like kind of arguing." And then I was a white, dude. Like, and so I went and I picked up my older son and he's all because like I just found this and it's wet. And I was like, "Well, why the was it on the bed, dude? Like, you need to be more careful with >> And this and this is about this is about the baby that the 18month-old >> that was throwing up." >> Yeah. Well, but he wasn't throwing up. Okay. So, I picked up my son. I checked on him. I went and washed his hands. I brushed his teeth. Um, and then I was like, "Okay, well, he seems all right, you So, I put him in I don't I think this was at like 8 8:30. He's usually in bed by 9:30. So, I put him in a bath cuz our regular routine like every day, you know, before bed and he was fine the whole time in the bath. And then when I got him out and I was putting lotion on him and putting him in his pajamas, I noticed that his lips were like kind of discolored and he was like rubbing his nose and starting to get tired. And I told him, "Dude, like I'm not I'm like not going to let nothing happen to the baby, dude. You need to take him to the hospital, dude. We can't just sit here and wait for something to happen to him, you know." >> And why did you want to take him to the hospital? Just because he was throwing up or >> No. Well, because like he thought he my boyfriend had dropped a piece of fentanyl on the bed and I didn't know if he had gotten it or not, you know, and I told him like, "It's not about us. I don't care if I have warrants. Like I don't care if you're if you don't want to go to jail. Like we need to take him to the hospital." So, we took him and from there me and my six-month-old went home and then my mother-in-law wanted to just let them here. >> Okay. >> But when I took them, like my 18-month-old was still like awake and responding and was still okay. I just wanted him to take him just to make sure that he was going to be okay so that there wasn't >> So, at any point, did you leave the house with your babies? >> No. >> And this is the house down at Cooks? >> Yeah. But no, I didn't leave the house at any point until I took them to the hospital. >> Okay. So, you didn't go with a friend today? >> No, >> I haven't gone anywhere today. I've been home all day. >> My other question is why did you leave the hospital when your baby was overdosing? >> I didn't know if he was overdosing or not cuz I had my six month >> Well, here's the thing. You just told me that your your husband said that he thought he left a piece of fentanyl on the on the on the bed. So, you thought he was overdosing, right? Yeah, I had my six-month old with me and he was still like kind of crying and like I was just going to go and get him with Tom and his I knew his mom was going, you know. >> Okay. >> And so at that no point you let you did not leave the house at all the day. No, >> there was no friend that came and picked you up. >> No. >> And you stay there at the the the home and cooks. >> Yes. >> Okay. Did you ever see a a piece of fentanyl on the bed? Did you see anything like that? >> Yeah. I was cleaning the stove like I said and like before Matt had boughten on the bed with them. Um it was clean. It was fine. I had just had my baby, my sixmonth-old on there with all his little toys like >> And do you or Matt use? >> Um I am like so I went to jail for 30 days and I got clean and like I don't like fully fully use like I've like obviously relapsed a couple of times but I still like do myself often but yes I relapsed. >> Okay. Okay. So, you're you're so you're using blues again? >> Uh, like not all the time, >> but you use Okay. >> Just like Matthew, Caitlyn tried to shift the blame onto her partner, but by now, the officer had already pieced together a clear picture of what had unfolded inside the household. He only needed a few more details to gauge just how severe the mistreatment truly was. >> So, inside of your house, are is are there any narcotics inside of there right now? >> No, there's not. Like, um, obviously he does use, but I'm like usually pretty good about keeping everything clean and picked up. >> Where do you where do you guys use that when you do use >> um I smoke outside at the back door >> and like when he does he either smokes outside in the back door or in the car or in the back bathroom. >> Okay. >> But never around our kids and like they have their room like I mean there's dishes in the sink but the house is not brashed or anything. >> So he uses all day all the time and the babies are with you guys. Um, well, he's not ever really like always around us. He's usually like doing his own thing and I take care of our kids like and he >> But in the house, he's doing his own thing in the house. No. >> No. And I'm not saying he uses all day long or anything like that. Like >> Well, I mean, you told me he uses pretty much all day. Just a little like a few seconds ago. [music] >> To like to sustain himself. I'm not saying that he sits there and gets high and does like hundreds of meals all day, but yes, he has to do it. >> And how often do you say you use? um like once or twice a day. >> And you guys have the babies from Monday through Friday. Is that is that correct? >> Monday through Thursday. >> Monday through Thursday. And then who? And then grandma takes the babies from there. >> And does grandma use it all? >> No, she works at the lab. She's a good She's a good >> Okay. >> When we had our 18-month-old, we had a case that was CFD that had opened, but it only stayed open 45 days. >> And what was that for? um for uh exposure for him obviously and I was using at the time. >> So exposure the baby getting exposed. You're 18month-old. >> Yeah. >> So this isn't the first time this has happened. >> No, not when he was born like from me having him like cuz I was using when I was pregnant. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Okay. So at the hospital? >> Yes. Okay. >> And um with my six-month-old like I was able to get clean and there was never any case open or anything like that. with the one of my 18-month-old that had closed within 45 days and we've had custody of him since like >> Okay, coming up, the officer hit Caitlyn with Matthew's version of events and in that instant her world came crashing down as she realized she'd been exposed. >> And so this is my thing. So your your husband's story isn't lining up with your story and I and my job here my job here is to get to the bottom of and find what's actually going on. So from my understanding is earlier today your husband was playing the PS5 and you went with a friend, right? And then you came back the your friend was telling you that she was worried that your son was playing with another kiddo with her kiddo and she was concerned that the baby had found something at her place and the baby had overdosed. >> So there's some hesitation there. So you're obviously thinking about something. I'm just I don't want him to be mad at me, dude. Like I >> Well, I mean, here's the thing. >> And I don't care. I know you don't care about This is what I'm telling you. I only care about my son. That's why I'm telling you. That's why I'm telling you the truth. >> Well, I'm trying to figure out why you hesitated and looked around to think about what you were going to respond. >> I don't want him to hate me and think I ruined my family. >> This is This is what I'm going to tell you. This is what I'm going to tell you. You're going to have to Do you have any evidence to support what you're saying right now? Because right now the baby is all that matters. >> I know. I honestly, dude, I have just you and you taking my word, but like I hadn't left anywhere all day, dude. Like I mean I know it's a long shot, dude. And I don't know if you guys are willing to do all the work, but dude, there's plenty of businesses across the street from our house, dude. Like you could go look at their cameras. I know for a fact my neighbor that owns that shop across the street has a camera that faces towards our house and his cameras face towards my house, dude. And you'll never see me leave house. Like, >> okay, >> I'm not trying to lie to you about anything. I just wanted to make sure my son's always >> So, let me recap. You were around what time did this happen? Initially, >> I think at like 8:00 >> and dad was in the bedroom with the babies. >> No, he was out. He was Okay. So, in in our living room, there's like a bed on the floor cuz right now we're redoing our back bedroom. And um our bed our bedroom is like not clean. We're in the middle of getting everything picked up and it's just not a place where I want my kids cuz there's no room on the bed or anything. There's clothes everywhere. >> And do you guys use in that bedroom? >> No. No, we don't. There's no familiar or anything like that in there. It's just there's clothes all over. >> Okay. So, he was in the living room. >> Yeah. And then Okay. So, when you walk into our house, like it to the right is the living room and then there's our couches and then we have a little bed on the floor and then to the left is the kitchen and the dining room and then there's another room right there and that's my kids' room. Okay. Okay. >> And they have their beds in there. >> Okay. >> So, I sleep in the living room and I put my boys to sleep in their room cuz I'm able to see inside the room like where they're at when I sleep. >> And so, your your husband was in the living room on that bed or what? >> Yes. >> With the kiddos? >> Yes. Not with the kiddos. I had my six-month-old on my chest in the living room. >> And where and where was the 18month-old? >> And the 18-month-old was playing on the floor and like on the side of the bed by his dad. >> Okay. And so, you're doing the stove and then what happened? Uh, like I said, he uh was like, "He is not throwing up." And I was like, "No, dude." And I went and picked him up. I was like, "Why, dude? Like, what the is wrong with you?" And he was like, "Um, because I think you might have bought something like" And I was like, "Well, dude." >> And did he indicate what that something was? >> No. He just >> Cuz when you first told me, you said it was a piece of a blue. >> No, I said it was fentanyl. >> Okay. So, it was a piece of >> So, fentanyl powder. >> Uh, I don't Yeah. Yeah. >> So, like China White. At this point, the officer had heard enough and it was becoming increasingly clear that both parents would be facing charges for what had happened. Regardless, [music] he stayed with the mom to get the final details of her version of events. >> Like from dad saying that he think he caught something. I didn't want anything to happen to my son and my son died or anything. So, you need to take him to the hospital, dude. Like, just to make sure that he's okay so nothing happens to him. So then you rushed him to the hospital, dropped dad and baby off and then >> and then I went back and >> and then obviously now we're here with all this other stuff. >> Okay. >> Okay. Well, I think that's all the questions I have for you right now. And then >> I mean I don't want my husband to hate me and I know he's I know. Can you just hear me out please? Like I know like it I know you don't give a about us and you probably think we're pieces of >> Well, that's not what I'm saying. But what I'm what I am saying is my my concern is the baby. Period. >> I know. I know. And I I know he and somebody will be held accountable. I'm just trying to get you to understand where he's coming from. End because he's been in prison before and so much. And I don't want my family to end because I told you the truth, dude. Like I know obviously you're going to go back and tell me, "Hey, this is what we said." And just I just want you to tell him that like >> Well, right now you got to be worried about the baby and the baby only. And that's got to be your only concern. >> I know, but I care about him and like him and his mom and my kids are all I have. I don't have my parents or any family do. Like >> I understand that. I I get it. You're in a you're in a tight spot, but you know, if you're being honest with me, I appreciate the honesty and and at the end of the day, the baby is what matters. Period. Period. Okay. And you have two babies riding on this, not just >> I know. And like honestly, like that's why like in my eyes, like I wanted him to take him because I didn't want anything to happen to my son. And then at the same time, I still wanted to be able to be there for my kids, too, dude. Like >> Yep. So, I'll have to talk to dad, but we'll figure it out as it goes. Okay. And I know I'm obviously going to jail for my but like what else is like [music] >> I'll let you know that as it as it transpires. Okay. >> The parents were charged with firstdegree abuse resulting in great bodily harm along with thirdderee. Following their arrest, they were booked into the Rio Aribba County Detention