A New Mexico teen accused of killing her newborn by dumping it in a hospital garbage bag minutes after birth claims she was unaware she was pregnant.
Alexee Trevizo, 19, is charged with murder after she gave birth in a hospital bathroom and then placed the baby in a garbage bag, where it was found tragically dead.
Her lawyer, Gary C Mitchell, told DailyMail.com that the teen was unaware of the pregnancy when she went to Artesia General Hospital on January 27 with back pain.
Tests showed she was pregnant and in labor. She then locked herself in a hospital bathroom for an extended period of time. After she returned, a cleaner found the bathroom covered in blood and then called the nurses after she lifted the heavy garbage bag.
She was charged on May 10 with first-degree murder, “or else” intentional abuse of a child resulting in death, plus a charge of tampering with evidence.
Alexee Trevizo, 19, didn’t know she was pregnant before giving birth to her son
The poignant moment when police confronted Trevizo at the hospital was captured on CCTV where she told officers, “It came from me, I put it in the bag. In the garbage bag. I’m sorry mom.’
Mitchell said the child appeared to have died of asphyxia.
He claims that Trevizo had entered the hospital bathroom alone, still unaware that she was pregnant.
She remained there unattended for 18 minutes, gave birth, and then put the baby in the trash.
Artesia General Hospital declined to comment on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a federal law that protects sensitive patient health information from disclosure without the patient’s consent or knowledge.
CCTV footage of the police body shows Trevizo admitting to putting the baby in the bag.
“It came from me, I put it in the bag. In the garbage bag. I’m sorry mom,” the teenager said to her mother.
Mitchell continued, “This child did not cause this baby’s death. She didn’t know she was pregnant.’
“It came from me, I put it in the bag. In the garbage bag. I’m sorry mom,” the traumatized teen whispers
Trevizo’s mother appears to have been unaware that her daughter was nine months pregnant
Recently released bodycam footage shows the heartbreaking confession
“This was a very traumatic experience,” the lawyer said.
Mitchell also revealed that the baby’s father was “very supportive” of Trevizo and also unaware of the pregnancy, which he says is not unusual.
In the bodycam footage, a doctor in a white lab coat explains to Trevizo and her mother, “We discovered a dead baby in the bathroom.”
Trevizo tells the doctor, “I’m sorry, it came from me and I didn’t know what to do… I was just scared, it wasn’t crying or anything.”
Her distraught mother holds her head in her hands as she begs her daughter, saying, “What have you done?”
“What did you do with it,” demands the mother, desperately holding her head in her hands, before the doctor tells her to “stop doing that.”
“The first priority guys,” the doctor continues, “is she just had a baby, I don’t know if she got the placenta. She’s bleeding a lot,” she says before explaining that the teen needs to see an obstetrician.
“I’m sorry, but when it comes to having a baby and it looked like you were trying to cover it up, we have to call the police.
‘The baby has to be taken for an autopsy and an examiner comes and everything,’ the doctor continues calmly.
Artesia general hospital
Gary C Mitchell told DailyMail.com that Trevizo was not responsible for her baby’s death
“I’m so sorry, but we have to do this correctly and I want to be transparent about what our steps will be.”
“Nothing cried, it came out with nothing,” Trevizo repeats.
A male medic in the room then asks the mother and daughter if they have any questions, to which Trevizo’s mother asks how big the baby is.
“It’s full-time,” replies the masked medic.
‘What!’ she exclaims, suggesting she was unaware that her daughter was nine months pregnant prior to the birth.
“Lexi, did you watch the news, about what the girls are doing to their babies and they’re going to jail,” the mother asks in frustration.
A traumatized Trevizo breaks down in tears and is then told that detectives are on their way to talk to her and she is now being held in hospital under police custody.
In a statement shared with DailyMail.com, Artesia Police Department said: “Our officers and crime scene processor, along with hospital staff, experienced a heartbreaking situation that morning in January and coped with what they encountered.
“One of the worst calls a first responder or public service has to respond to is the serious injury or death of a child.
“Because of our job titles, we are expected to be ‘tough’ on those kinds of incidents, but in reality we are quite the opposite.
“Our routine or emergency calls are usually easily executed with dedication and commitment to our city, but a call like this can be a breaking point for some or all of those involved.
“It is important that we provide the very best resources, counseling and stress management tools to help our employees cope with this traumatic event so they can continue their dedicated service.
Adding: “As for Trevizo, she refused to talk to our investigators about the incident.”
At the beginning of the bodycam footage released, a nurse told responding officers that Trevizo had taken a positive pregnancy test but denied having sex.
Trevizo locked herself in the hospital bathroom on Jan. 27 and gave birth to the baby boy before tossing him in the trash, investigators said.
By the time the baby was found, he had died, investigators said.
An autopsy listed the cause of death as homicide in March.
On May 10, Trevizo was charged with first-degree murder, “or else” intentional abuse of a child resulting in death, plus a charge of tampering with evidence.
Trevizo has since been released from prison and will be able to complete the school year without an ankle bracelet or house arrest as she awaits trial.
This is the second high-profile case of a mother and newborn in New Mexico in recent years.
Jurors convicted 19-year-old Alexis Avila of throwing her newborn into an outdoor garbage can in January 2020 in Hobbs, New Mexico.