Police arrested a Las Cruces woman suspected of exposing her young daughters to methamphetamine and interfering with the investigation of sexual assault allegations made against her uncle, who was arrested in October.
Kaylee Robyn Scoughton, 25, of the 200 block of Branding Iron Circle, is charged with four third-degree felony counts of intentional child abuse. Scoughton is also charged with two misdemeanor counts of obstructing an investigation of child abuse and one misdemeanor count of failure to report child abuse or neglect.
Las Cruces police investigators learned in early September that a 5-year-old girl disclosed to her grandmother that Kaylee’s uncle, 52-year-old Kelly Scoughton, sexually assaulted the young girl on multiple occasions. Investigators interviewed several relatives and conducted a safe-house interview with the 5-year-old girl. Investigators learned that Kelly Scoughton, on several occasions, sexually assaulted and had illegal contact with the young victim.
Further investigation by LCPD determined that Kaylee Scoughton, the 5-year-old girl’s mother, knew of the sexual assault allegations and refused to report or cooperate with the investigation. Investigations also learned that Kaylee Scoughton’s 5-year-old daughter tested positive for methamphetamine and other illicit drugs. Investigators learned that Kaylee gave birth to another daughter in September. Kaylee Scoughton’s infant daughter, who is now 2 months old, also tested positive for meth.
Kaylee Scoughton’s daughters are now in the safe custody of a state agency.
Kaylee Scoughton was arrested Monday, Nov. 16, and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where she is initially being held without bond. Kelly Scoughton was arrested on Oct. 1 and remains in custody. He is charged with four counts of child abuse, two counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of false imprisonment.
Additional charges are possible.