Either you saw your friend at that house or you didn't. >> So, which is you did? Okay. So, then why did you tell me that you didn't? >> Cuz I don't want her to get in trouble. >> Sunday afternoon, April the 6th, 2025. A 2-year-old boy is shot inside an apartment in southeast Albuquerque. Hours later, his mother sits across from two detectives. She tells them she never knew there was a gun in the house. She says her best friend wasn't even there. But the detectives have been working that apartment all afternoon. They've already spoken to other people. And every answer she gives is about to be tested. >> I'm not sure where the gun came from cuz I don't even know there was a gun in the house. I told Mel Angel to take it. >> You told Male Angel to take [snorts] your >> Yeah, cuz I didn't want to get in trouble. I don't know if I'm going to go to jail for this. Leon Garcia was 2 years old. Just before 3:00 on the afternoon of Sunday, April 6th, 2025, police were called to an apartment in the 1900 block of Buenav Vista near Gibson in southeast Albuquerque, New Mexico. Leon had been shot in the chest. He did not survive. His mother, 20-year-old Amelia Garcia, was there along with her one-year-old son, who was not hurt. At about 9:00 that night, detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department sat down with her in an interview room. She told them she heard a loud bang and that it was an accident. You'll hear three other names. Angelica, her friend Angel, a woman, and a man she calls male angel. What she says about them and about the gun is what this interview is about. The interview room's camera clock shows that conversation running for close to 2 hours. The copy available to us holds about 34 minutes of it. What follows is that footage in the order it was recorded. Long silences have been shortened. Some words were already muted when this recording reached us, and they are marked on screen. Nothing has been added. Um, we're not trying to make things harder. It's just just part of our job, okay? Um, I'm here for your son, right? And so, um, I try to remind parents that, you know, um, so I'm not trying to make your day harder or worse. Um, I'm really just here for your son and I want to kind of figure out what's going on and what happened. >> What, um, are you do you have a job? Are you employed? No, I uh [snorts] my dad kind of took my car. I mean, it needs worked on, but he kind of took it, too. So, ever since then, I haven't been able to work. [snorts] >> I get my income from state. I grew up in CFD system and so they pay me, but I'm about to lose that because I'm about to be 21. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Um, and you have two kiddos, right? >> Anytime I would get up, little Leon would follow me and that's why he ended up going downstairs. Um, [snorts] I literally had OCD and uh autism and I [snorts] think because his dad wasn't in the picture, he would just he was really um clingy like he would come sit in my lap and I would tell him to get off of me and then he would come right back in my lap. So he was always by my side. Today we woke up um us sleeping in Angel's room [snorts] instead of the couch. Um with with Elias. Elias was in the play pin. [snorts] Um, but literally woke up first and then Elias woke up not much like maybe [snorts] 5 well not probably like 15 20 minutes after little woke up. Um, [snorts] and then um I went to go make Elias a bottle. Um, [snorts] and then I remember little Leon was playing with his drawing thing [snorts] and Elias was like wanting to play with it, too. So, I took it from a little long and then he got mad at me. Um, and then I went to go get Elastis Cube. And um I brought her back upstairs [snorts] and then we were just laying down, you know, just chilling for maybe like an hour or two. [snorts] And then I can't I'm going be honest. I don't know if I went to go make another bottle, but I know I went downstairs and [snorts] like I said, he always follows me. [clears throat] And when I went back upstairs, he didn't follow me. And then um [clears throat] that's when I heard the gunshot and [snorts] I ran downstairs and it's and [snorts] I grabbed him and rushed him upstairs [snorts] and we called 911 right away. [snorts] And that was pretty much it [snorts] cuz we slept in, you know, we slept in until like 12:00. We always sleep in. [snorts] I didn't get to have much of a day with him. And [snorts] I just kept like I didn't know what to do. And he kept gasping and I just kept yelling, "Where is the ambulance? They're taking forever. I honestly [clears throat] feel like if they had me in this classroom, I [snorts] feel like he would have had a chance, but I feel like they were taking [snorts] a long time. [sighs] [snorts] [sighs] And then um well after I asked to help downstairs and help her was like [snorts] what are you do or not what are you what's going on? What happened? What happened? Everyone just or she just kept telling me what happened cuz I honestly didn't really know what happened because I wasn't downstairs with him. You know what I mean? But I wasn't upstairs for maybe 5 minutes or I don't I can't for sure say how long it was but [snorts] [sighs] and I don't understand what happened because he got in the back. So I don't know what I don't know what happened. [snorts] That's the only thing I could think of though. I don't know [snorts] cuz if he was playing with it, I feel like it would have hit his arm or his leg. I don't know. I don't I don't know. >> Um, where was Angel at this time? >> I don't know. I think she was with one of her friends. >> So, she wasn't at home. Angel female was not at home at all. Okay. What about Angel Male? Where was he during all this time? I don't know if he was in the room. I'm not sure. >> So, you didn't see him at all? >> No, cuz Angelica was calling 911 and she she was just like, "What happened? What happened?" I don't know. He could have been home. If he was, he could have been sleeping, but I don't know, honestly. [snorts] >> Did you speak to him at all? >> Did you see him at all? I don't really talk to him though. >> Okay. So you So this So you guys go down there, you're calling 911. Do you see anything downstairs at that time? >> I was just honestly I was just I I mean I don't know. I could be wrong, but I don't know. My head was so much in a blur and my main like I just didn't know what to do thorly on. So I mean he could have been there but my head was like >> angel >> no. Yeah. >> Okay. So my head just wasn't you know what I mean? I don't know. My head >> So you don't you didn't as far as you can recall you didn't have any conversations with Angel at all. >> Angel male. Mhm. >> Angel female is not there at all. >> No, she pretty sure she was her friend cuz she said one of her friends had uh was uh it was their birthday and so she told me that she was going to go but um that's when I woke up and she was gone >> in the morning. >> Yeah. >> So she wasn't home from when you woke up at noonish until all this happened. Well, Angel had already left. Not left. Um, after we got done Taco the night before that, or wait, no, no, no. We ended up waking up and she was gone. There we go. Like, I didn't talk to her >> like in the middle of the night. No, not in the middle of the night cuz [snorts] um we had gotten food like around 7 and that's when I think she like left. [clears throat] >> Okay. So, she so Angel wasn't at home from 7:00 p.m. last night. [snorts] >> I'm not for sure what time, but >> last night. So, she she left last night and she You haven't seen her since last night? No. >> Okay. [snorts] I'm pretty sure she had to go pick up her kids today. So, that could have been also why. >> So, you haven't seen her at all today at all? >> No, but um her baby daddy works and so she usually has to pick them up uh on Sundays. >> Okay. [snorts] Okay. So during all this stuff, we don't see Angel male at all. We don't see boy Angel at all. >> No. >> Notice how the detective opens. I'm here for your son. It sounds like comfort. And it is also a frame he will come back to. Now listen to how much Amelia remembers about that morning. Which son woke up first? The bottle. The toy she took from Leon and how he got mad at her. But at the moment that matters most. The detail stops. She can't say why she went downstairs. She can't say how long she was gone. And she offers a theory no one asked for. If Leon had been playing with it, she says it would have hit his arm or his leg. She is certain of one thing. The ambulance took too long and she says so twice. It's an understandable reaction from a mother. But notice that it moves the focus away from that room. Then the detectives ask who else was there. Her best friend, she says, left the night before. The man she calls male angel. She never saw him. In her version, no one else was in that apartment, so no one else could have touched the gun. That version is about to be tested. >> So, obviously, we get there, right? Ambulance [snorts] gets there, that sort of stuff. Um, we kind of do our thing. And obviously, now we know that, you know, that your son, right? So, let's talk about that a little bit. Where how did your son get where did these where did these guns come from? Um, I honestly I'm not sure where the gun came from cuz I didn't even know there was a gun in the house. Like I said, I didn't even think it was a >> But you're saying that you know what it is now, right? >> Yeah, I know it is now. I just >> when I heard the noise, I just >> What do you know about? I mean, you've never seen You don't know who >> I've se I've seen and I've just never >> Have you seen Have you seen in those in that house? >> No. [snorts] Um my dad has um a safety and he has >> Okay. But you've never seen in in that house? >> Mm-m. >> You've never um you've never heard angel talking about or you've never heard a male angel talking about You've never seen Angelica or heard Angelica talk? [cough and clears throat] >> No. >> Okay. So, [snorts] but obviously there is in this house, right? And you've never seen it? >> Where did that come from? >> I don't know. That's what I was wondering because I don't know if it was up somewhere. Like I said, I don't know if it was up somewhere and it dropped. I don't know because like I said, he was downstairs. I mean, he could have reached for it, but I don't know. I don't know. >> When you went downstairs and he followed you, who was downstairs? >> No one. >> No one was downstairs that you could tell. >> No one was downstairs. I was still, as a matter of fact, I held still sleeping. >> [snorts] >> And I'm pretty sure it woke her up. [clears throat] >> Um, [snorts] >> so when you went downstairs, nobody was down there? >> No. >> Are you sure? >> I'm not sure. >> And then when you went back upstairs, Leon stayed downstairs. >> Yes. >> So, what helps you know that there's nobody downstairs? There was nobody downstairs when you went there. >> Um, >> could you see everything? Yeah, I can see everything. And I'm pretty That's why I'm not 100% sure, but I I don't know if I don't think it was for a bottle, but I might have got like I don't remember getting food or a drink, but um I just I'm trying to remember what I went down there for. >> So, obviously, we've been kind of out here for a few hours already, right? We talked to a few people and there's [snorts] people telling us that Angel, your friend, was there. [snorts] >> I mean, unless she got back. I mean, unless she um was back. >> Did you see her in the apartment? She might have left whenever we called 911 [snorts] cuz >> Angel your your friend. >> Okay. But you just told me that you she was gone. She left the night before and hadn't come back. So >> she did, but I didn't see her um when I woke up that morning. >> Okay. But then why do why are you saying that she might have left? What would make you feel like she might have left? Well, if she was there, >> I don't know. I'm asking you. I'm just telling you what other people are telling us. [snorts] So, I'm ask I'm wondering why we have people saying she's not there and you're telling me you haven't seen her at all. I'm asking what you saw, not what you think other people >> I understand that. Um, >> so let me just clarify. Did you see Angel at the house at all today? Angel female? This is a very >> I'm pretty sure this morning I might have [snorts] >> Did you see her at all during all of this? >> Um [snorts] and Helica was the only one that was really helping me. Um, so I mean Angel I think she ended up leaving. [snorts] >> When did she leave? Um, I would say it was before, but um I think it might have been after cuz once the cops I mean once the ambulance got there, her car was gone. What kind of car does she drive? >> Um, >> honestly, I'm not 100% sure. What color is white? >> Um, four. >> I think the Malibu. >> Malibu. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. So, then I'm just going to clarify cuz first we say that she left last night. You woke up. She wasn't there. You didn't see her at all. Right. And now we're saying that you may have seen her that morning, this morning and you may have seen her during or after this all occurred or maybe even before. So this is a very simple question. Either you saw your friend at that house or you didn't. >> So which is you did? Okay. So then why did you tell me that you didn't? [sighs] >> Cuz I don't want her to get in trouble. Not like that. But [snorts] >> let me stop you for a second. I'm going to I'm going to put this into perspective for you. Your son >> is deceased. I told you when we started talking to you about this stuff, I'm not here for you. I'm not here for Angel. I'm not here for male angel. I'm not here for Angelica. Right. I'm here for your son. Have you ever met me before? >> No. >> I've never seen you in my life. And you've never met me before in my life. Right? So, I'm essentially was a stranger until maybe 40 minutes ago, a half hour ago. Right? If I'm here and I care about your son and I want to find out what happened for your son, your mom, that is your job. Your job as a mother, right? Is to protect your children. And even if something bad happens and something tragic happens, you're still a mother and you still have a job to protect your child and to do what's right for Leon. Lying to us about angel, about other angel, about Angelica, about all the stuff it ridiculous. This is your son we're talking about. You gave birth to this child. I'm a stranger to you and I care about your son. Do you care about your son? Do you love your son? >> Yep. >> All right. So, [snorts] let's do what's right for Leon and tell me what happened because all this you got to you got I'll be I'll be honest with you. Like this isn't my first rodeo, so to speak. I've been doing law enforcement a long time. I've been in this unit for a long time. I've seen a lot of stuff, done a lot of stuff, and I'm very good at my job. Martin here, law enforcement officer, tenured law enforcement officer, very good at his job. You can sit here and you can try and lie to us and try and tell us stuff, but this is just looking worse and worse for you. You're not doing yourself a favor, and you're certainly not doing any sort of justice for your son. We need to know what happened. If something happened, we need to know about it. This isn't just because you tell us something doesn't mean we're going to say, "Okay, well, Ameilia said it, so I guess it's true." No, we have a team of detectives who are also very good at their jobs and a lot of other professional law enforcement officers that are at that house right now, right? And that's where this happened. And we can we we we do an investigation. We put everything together and I'm going to know whether whether you're lying to me or not, right? If something something bad happened, I think we can agree, right? Stop lying to us about this stuff. Angel's a big girl. Both. Angel's a big boy. Angelica is a big girl. You guys are all grown adults. Let's stop this because this story is This doesn't make any sense. Especially because we've talked to other people. And guess what? What do you think other people tell us about you? >> I don't know. >> Right. Exactly. So, when you're sitting here and you're lying to us about stuff, you're not helping yourself. It's [snorts] and it's not the right thing to do for your son. Something bad happened. >> So, let's start over. >> Let's start over. Tell me what happened. Just be honest with that cuz we're going to find out. I'm going to face it right now. Even if it's hard stuff that's hard to admit to. >> It was my gun. >> That is the turning point. For most of this interview, Amelia said she didn't even know there was a gun in the house. She'd never seen one there. Never heard anyone talk about one. Then the detectives told her that other people had placed her friend at the apartment. Her story moved. She might have seen her that morning. And yes, she did. And listen to the reason she gives. Not fear of the police. She didn't want her friend to get in trouble. It's the first time she admits to shading the truth. And she does it to protect someone else. That's when the detective stopped her and reminded her who this was about, her son. Then the detectives lean on experience. This isn't my first rodeo. I'm very good at my job. The message is simple. The story she's telling will not survive comparison with what they already know. And notice what they don't do. They don't lay out their evidence. They tell her only that other people put her friend there and let her decide how much to give up. Moments later, she is describing the gun, a black Taurus handgun. >> It was your What does this look like? >> Um, this Taurus. >> Okay. Um, it's black. Um, what else? I don't know. >> It's a black taurus head. >> I don't know. >> You don't know if it's a hand? >> Oh, yeah. It's a Sorry. >> So, tell me what happened. >> Um, basically everything I told you except both angels were there. [snorts] Um me, Angel, we were all sleeping in there in her room. Um and they end up both Angel's left once we called 911. I don't know specifically why Angel left. >> Which one? >> The girl. Okay. [snorts] >> I was honestly kind of mad cuz I in my head I feel like if we took her car we might have been able to make it to that hospital. I don't know though. [snorts] But I don't know. I didn't after he got I did not speak to Angel. >> Male or female? >> Both or male? I mean female. [snorts] Um and Helica kept telling her to leave. Um Mel Angel, he left because he is um because I know he has a [snorts] not house stress. What is it called? Probation. Okay. And so that's why he left because he knows that there's lots of in the house. [snorts] >> Did Did he know those were in the house? >> Yes. >> How did How does he know? >> You know, I'm pretty sure he seen it. >> You? >> Yes. >> Where do you store your [snorts] >> Normally? I have it um like up in the closet or just wherever. But um Angel got in a car accident and so we had to get everything out of the car including the and so the gun was in a bag and um [snorts] I think that's how he I don't like I said I don't know if he was playing with it but >> in a bag. Huh? >> Where was the mag? >> Um, it was um it was in the living room. Uh kind of like uh [snorts] I don't know. It's like it's not really like um what is it called? Like I'm trying to think. Like you know how you could put something like you know how you need something to put your drink on? >> Yeah. So [snorts] >> a little center console. >> Not a console. It was like um it was like a little table. >> Dinner table. >> It wasn't a dinner table. It was just like a little like it was really small. >> Okay. Like a TV tray or whatever. That's >> okay. >> Um and I'm pretty sure it was on top of that >> on the [snorts] the bag. >> Yeah. with a >> Yeah. >> Okay. You're >> Yes. >> What did the bag look like? >> It was a rainbow bag, blue. >> So, just through our investigation, there's two guns we're looking at right now, right? Does your gun is your gun just a standard size handgun? What does it look like? >> It's a handgun. Um I haven't had it that long. I just got it. Where did you get it from? >> The street. >> Okay. >> This dude I knew. [snorts] >> Okay. >> Did it have a very long magazine? Okay. >> Extendo. [snorts] >> Why'd you buy that? When my dad hit me, I felt like I needed protection. >> Again, we we're here for your son, right? Um things happen. But when you talk about those things, right? Because just like we talked about earlier, you know, telling us stories isn't I mean, we already we know when you're lying. I know when you're lying, right? So, there's nobody else downstairs. You go up there. Do you guys have any conversations about those? >> No. >> Okay. You guys go back downstairs, right? Angelica's trying to help you. She's calling 911. Uh, you hear Angelica tell Angel he needs to leave because of his probation. Angel leaves, but you're not sure why she leaves, right? >> No. I was telling in Holocaust like why the did she leave? We could have had literally been in the car headed to the hospital and she saw because Angel needed to leave. So, [snorts] Angel female left to give Angel male [snorts] >> a ride. I'm pretty I'm not for sure if that's >> Do Angelica and male Angel have a car? >> Um, Angel and Helica and Angel have a car. Both. They both have a car, but it's they're broke both broke down. >> So, the only one with a working car is >> Angel. And she can't even drive it in the night time cuz she just got in a car accident like 3:40s before that. >> Okay. [snorts] Where are those things now? >> I don't know. I'm going be honest. Um I told Mel Angel to take it, but angels I don't know. I might be still in a >> You told male angel to [snorts] take your Yeah, cuz I didn't want to get in trouble. I don't know if I'm going to go to jail for this. >> Did he take it? >> Okay. How did he take it? >> When they left. >> How did he take it? Did he just walk out the front door with it or how did he take it? >> Whenever. Yeah. Whenever that we called 911, Angel and him left and I told him to take it for me and he did. [snorts] And it's because I don't know if this is going to make you go to jail, but [snorts] >> I don't know. >> It's because why? >> Cuz I know that it's um on the streets and that's illegal. >> Why is it illegal? >> Because I bought it from someone else. I'm not It's not like I have a license car. Nobody was downstairs messing around with these guns. >> No. >> Trying to show these guns off or anything like that? >> No. [snorts] >> You guys weren't doing that the night before whenever you got something to talk about at home? >> No, I don't play with my like >> I don't even [snorts] like I've never been shot that gun before. >> How do you know how to use that? >> To be honest, I know how to click it back, but I've never shot a gun in my life. The reason why I got it was cuz [snorts] my dad and me had got an altercation and he hits me and I just wanted it for protection. [snorts] Like if me and my dad ever got into it, you know, [snorts] I wouldn't ever shoot my dad, but I could at least hit him with it. >> All right, so just some stuff we want to clarify. Well, um, and I know some of it's hard to continue talking about, but I want to kind of make sure I get this like a like a clear picture in my head, right? So, you when you heard the loud noise, the gunshot, right? I guess we can agree it was a gunshot. Yeah. >> Right. >> You go downstairs and run downstairs. >> You run downstairs and you see Leon. How was he laying? What's his body position? You said he was laying on the living room floor, right? I'm pretty sure if it was at the floor then it had to be the couch. >> What I'm saying where where was he? >> I'm pretty sure he was on the floor. But if he wasn't on the floor then he could have been laying on the couch. But I'm pretty sure I had picked him up and he was on the floor. But as soon as I see him, I I grab him. >> So, I mean, you you found him, right? So, I mean, it's got to be the couch or the floor. I mean, it's it's pretty distinct. So, >> I mean, yeah, it >> So, was he laying on the floor or laying on the couch? [sighs] >> I'm pretty sure it was the floor. >> Okay. And when you found him, was he laying face up, face down, on his side? >> I seen his face. You saw his face up. Okay. [snorts] And he was still >> he was still breathing. He was still his eyes his eyes were still open. But whenever I um rushed him up to the bathroom, that's whenever he started his eyes started like >> rolling back. >> Okay. When you picked him up, what was >> I'm pretty sure it was on the ground. >> On the ground? Um like where he was like the couch. So the couch is whatever and he was right by the couch. >> A little picture just going to be right here. It doesn't matter. You can use the metro museum too. >> So this is like the couch. Okay. >> And he was like right here. >> Put a little stick figure. Maybe a little head so I know where Okay. >> [snorts] >> Um, and I'm pretty sure the gun was like I can't specifically say, but I know it was somewhere by him. >> Okay. So, it was it was by him. He wasn't It wasn't on top of him or he wasn't on top of it. It was somewhere in the area around him. Okay. >> Yeah. >> I mean, it's a it's a pretty large gun. So, you saw it, right? Okay. Well, I'm going to be honest. I I probably seen it, but that's not what I was looking at. I was looking at my son. >> Yeah. >> You said that you had moved Angel's to a closet. Which closet was that? >> Angel's room >> upstairs. Yeah, [clears throat] but hers is registered. She's able to carry hers. >> Where did you move it from? >> The ground. >> Well, it was So, she has clothes, laundry baskets, what it it fell like the bag, not the back, the her was on the clothes and stuff. And I'm pretty sure when she was looking for clothes, I uh picked it up right away and I was like, "I'm going to put this in here." Okay. And she said, "All right." Or I asked her where to put it and she told me to put it in the closet. That's why I put it in >> in her room. Okay. Um so the obviously you told us, which I appreciate, you told us that you told male angel to take remove it. Did you clean this? Did you wipe this for you? You weren't concerned about your fingerprints or DNA or anything else happening on it. You didn't wipe it at all. Okay. You just handed it to him. Okay. >> I I don't even Did I hand it to him or did he I'm pretty sure I handed it to him and I was like, "Can you take this for me?" >> Okay. And um So you're not So you either You're not sure if you picked it up or he picked it up? I'm pretty sure I picked it up and gave it to him. >> And you picked it up from the living room floor. So, obviously we have, like I said, we have another team of detectives at your at their house rather right now. Um, who are executing a search warrant at their home? Right. Do you know if Angelico or Angel, male Angel, have any other guns? >> I don't know. I've never seen him with a gun and a helicop never seen with a gun either. >> Okay. >> But like I said, I really don't know. You know what I mean? Like >> So if I told you we found four other guns over there, >> it's not mine. I only had one. [snorts] >> Um I know, like I said, I know my friend Angel has one. Um, if they did have one, I didn't ever see him with it. >> By now, almost every part of Amelia's first account has changed. Her friends were there. The gun was hers, bought from someone she knew, after her father hit her. It sat in a bag on a small table in the living room, the room where Leyon was. And after 911 was called, she asked the man she calls male angel to take it out of the apartment because, in her words, she didn't want to get in trouble. When the detectives ask her to sketch the room, she can draw where Lyon lay and place the gun somewhere by him. But she says she wasn't looking at the gun. She was looking at her son. Then the detectives tell her another team is searching the apartment and ask what she'd say if they had found four other guns there. Her answer comes fast. It's not mine. I only had one. One question hangs over the end of this interview. Did she wipe the gun? The detectives ask more than once. On this tape, she never says yes. The criminal complaint would later allege that she did and that she asked him to remove it. That is an allegation in a charging document. It is not something she admits here. Amelia Garcia walked into that room saying she never knew there was a gun in the house. By the end, she had described the gun, where she usually kept it, where she left it that afternoon, and who she handed it to. And when she was asked why she had a gun at all, her answer pointed back to her own father. None of it came from a single confession. The detectives let her answers move one at a time, but none of it changes the fact at the center of this case, a loaded handgun was left where a 2-year-old could reach it. Amelia Garcia was charged with child abuse, resulting in death and tampering with evidence. Three other adults from the apartment were charged with tampering with evidence. One of them, Angel Cordova, the man the criminal complaint says she asked to remove the gun, was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Monday, March 23rd, 2026, Garcia pleaded guilty to abandonment of a child under 13, resulting in death from a firearm and to tampering with evidence. On Wednesday, July 8th, 2026, second judicial district judge David Murphy sentenced her to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of probation. He also ordered that she have no contact with her father. Leon Garcia was 2 years old. In this interview, his mother said he followed her everywhere, always at her side, always climbing back into her lap. He should still be here. This video is dedicated to his memory. If you value police interrogations examined carefully with every fact checked, subscribe to Stay Alert Interrogation. We'll see you in the next room.