ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Two children recently returned to their families under New Mexico’s Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) trial home visit program have faced devastating outcomes within just nine days of each other.
An 8-year-old boy, who had been in CYFD custody since July 2023 due to drug exposure and a domestic incident, was placed back with his mother, Mercedes Barfoot, on July 29. The decision followed her completion of outpatient treatment and concerns about the child’s behavior in foster care. On August 9, the boy was hospitalized after making suicidal statements and testing positive for cocaine. Police found drug paraphernalia in the home, and Barfoot now faces charges of child abuse and tampering with evidence.
Just days earlier, an 18-month-old child died while in their mother’s custody during a similar trial home visit. Both children were part of CYFD’s six-month monitoring program, which allows children to return home while being supervised.
Advocates say the cases highlight systemic gaps in support and oversight. CYFD says its worker’s intervention helped save the 8-year-old and emphasized ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable children amid widespread substance misuse in the state.
