A
Las Cruces woman suspected of strangling her young son and biting her daughter
is now facing child abuse charges.
Monique
Montellano, 32, of the 1600 block of Burke Lane, is charged with three counts
of child abuse. All three counts are second-degree felonies.
Las
Cruces police detectives learned that on Oct. 15, 2019, employees of a local
daycare center called the Children, Youth and Families Department after
noticing marks on the neck of Montellano’s 3-year-old son. Upon further
investigation, the boy indicated that his mother grabbed his neck and strangled
him, leaving visible marks.
Investigators
also learned that Montellano’s 5-year-old daughter had a visible bite injury to
her upper-right thigh. When asked how she received the injury, the girl indicated
that her mother bit her because the girl could not find her shoes.
Montellano
and her children underwent voluntary drug testing as part of the investigation.
Montellano and her 3-year-old son both tested positive for marijuana.
Montellano
was arrested Monday and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where
she is initially being held without bond.