ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The disappearance of two teenagers from a Bernalillo County group home is raising new questions about New Mexico’s child welfare system and its ability to care for vulnerable youth.
According to reports, 13-year-old Andy Carrasco and 15-year-old Santino Martinez left the YDI Summerhouse group home on Oct. 17 and remain missing. The facility is a non-secure placement for youth in state care.
The case has drawn additional attention because Carrasco was the subject of a separate missing person case earlier this year. In August, the teen left the UNM Children’s Psychiatric Center and was later found safe after a Brittany Alert was issued.
The latest disappearance comes as state officials continue facing questions about staffing shortages, placement capacity, and the availability of specialized treatment facilities for children in state custody.
Earlier this year, the New Mexico Department of Justice released an investigative report examining operations within the Children, Youth and Families Department, commonly known as CYFD. The report highlighted concerns about transparency, child safety, and broader challenges facing the agency.
Child welfare advocates and former officials have also pointed to ongoing shortages of foster homes, therapeutic placements, caseworkers, and higher-level care facilities, leaving some children in temporary or less secure settings while more appropriate placements are sought.
As the search for the two missing teens continues, the case is again focusing attention on the resources available for children in state custody and the challenges facing New Mexico’s child welfare system.
