ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A Children, Youth and Families Department employee has been charged following an alleged assault involving a juvenile at a CYFD facility in Albuquerque.
New Mexico State Police responded to the facility on Indian School Road NE on Tuesday, Sept. 23, after receiving a report that a staff member had hit a 16-year-old girl. The teen told officers she had been arguing with 32-year-old Dajae Robinson throughout the day.
According to court documents, the situation escalated when the teen and another juvenile ran toward an ambulance. The teen said Robinson chased them, then choked her and threw punches. Officers noted the girl was bleeding from her lip and was later taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators reportedly shows Robinson grabbing the teen by the neck, punching her in the face, and attempting to strike again before staff intervened. Robinson was arrested and charged with aggravated battery. She was booked into the Albuquerque Prisoner Transport Center.
This incident comes amid major changes at CYFD. Earlier this month, CYFD Secretary Teresa Casados announced her immediate retirement following criticism over the agency’s reform efforts and recent high-profile child deaths in state care. Valerie Sandoval has stepped in as acting secretary, pledging to stabilize the workforce and improve performance metrics.
Lawmakers also recently established the Office of the Child Advocate, an independent oversight body aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the child welfare system. Applications for the position are open through October, and the office will operate under the Department of Justice.
The CYFD continues to face scrutiny over its progress in meeting the terms of the 2020 Kevin S. settlement, which calls for better mental health care, reduced use of group settings, and more community-based placements for children in state custody
