Report on Child Fatality in Albuquerque: A Failure in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Incident Summary and Violation of Child Protection Mandates

A report from the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) confirms the death of an 18-month-old female child, identified by the initials E.M., on Wednesday. The incident represents a significant failure to uphold commitments to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

• Victim: 18-month-old female (E.M.)
• Circumstances: Found unresponsive and could not be revived by first responders.
• Legal Action: The child’s mother, Vanessa Chavez, has been charged with child abuse.
• Jurisdiction: The child was under the supervision of the Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD) during a “home trial period.”

Institutional Accountability and SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The case highlights critical deficiencies in institutional effectiveness, accountability, and transparency, directly contravening the principles of SDG 16.

Systemic Failures in Child Protective Services

The death occurred while the child was in a state-supervised home trial, pointing to a breakdown in protective protocols. This challenges the objective of SDG Target 16.2: “End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.”

1. Conflicting Institutional Accounts: The APD stated a CYFD investigator confirmed the child had been in state custody since birth and was recently returned to her parents. In contrast, a formal CYFD statement claims, “the child was not in state custody.” This discrepancy undermines SDG Target 16.6, which calls for developing effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.
2. Failure of Specialized Programs: As a child born premature and drug-exposed, E.M. was legally mandated to be enrolled in the state’s Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) program. Reports indicate this program is failing to protect its intended beneficiaries, further demonstrating institutional weakness.
3. Pursuit of Justice: The ongoing investigation relies on crucial evidence from the victim’s 7-year-old brother, who witnessed the alleged abuse. This underscores the importance of a functional justice system (SDG 16.3) to protect the rights of vulnerable children.

Health and Well-being Crisis and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The circumstances surrounding E.M.’s life and death are a stark illustration of failures to meet targets within SDG 3.

Key Health-Related Factors

• Preventable Child Death: The death of a toddler from trauma is a direct contravention of SDG Target 3.2, which aims to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under five years of age.
• Maternal Substance Abuse: The child was born drug-exposed, and the mother’s alleged actions are linked to addiction. This points to a gap in achieving SDG Target 3.5: “Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse.” Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s recent policy initiatives acknowledge that active addiction is incompatible with safe parenting, reflecting an effort to align state policy more closely with this goal.
• Autopsy Findings: An autopsy confirmed the death was likely caused by trauma, revealing a large subdural hemorrhage and scattered bruising. These findings confirm that the child’s right to health and physical integrity was violated.

Conclusion

The death of E.M. is a tragedy that exposes severe vulnerabilities in the systems designed to protect children. It serves as a critical case study on the local implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, revealing urgent needs to strengthen institutional accountability (SDG 16), end all forms of violence against children (SDG 16.2), and ensure the health and survival of all children (SDG 3.2).

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article discusses the death of an 18-month-old child, which directly relates to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being. It also touches upon the issue of parental drug addiction, a key public health concern.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The core of the article revolves around violence against a child, a failure of justice, and the questionable effectiveness of a state institution (Children, Youth & Families Department – CYFD). The investigation into the child’s death and the conflicting statements between police and CYFD highlight issues with institutional accountability and transparency.

Specific Targets Identified

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

1. Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.
   • The article’s central event is the death of an 18-month-old girl from trauma-induced injuries. This death was preventable and falls directly under the scope of this target.
2. Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse.
   • The article states the baby was “born premature and drug exposed” and that the governor made changes to prevent children from being placed “back into homes with drug-addicted parents.” This directly connects the tragedy to the issue of parental substance abuse.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
   • The article details a clear case of fatal child abuse. The autopsy revealed “scattered bruising to the head and neck area and a large subdural hemorrhage that was likely caused by trauma,” and the 7-year-old brother “watched his sister die after seeing his mom bang her head against the wall.”
2. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • The article highlights a potential failure of the Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD). The child was in CYFD custody and returned to her parents for a “home trial period” during which she was killed. The conflicting statements between APD and CYFD regarding the child’s custody status point to a lack of transparency and accountability. The mention that “4 Investigates has covered this extensively, revealing the program is failing children” further underscores the issue of institutional ineffectiveness.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Indicators for SDG 3 Targets

• For Target 3.2: An implied indicator is the child mortality rate due to external causes like homicide or abuse. The article provides a specific data point: the death of one 18-month-old child due to abuse.
• For Target 3.5: An implied indicator is the number of infants born drug-exposed. The article explicitly states the deceased child was “born premature and drug exposed.” Another indicator is the number of child abuse cases where parental substance abuse is a contributing factor.

Indicators for SDG 16 Targets

• For Target 16.2: A direct indicator is the number of child deaths resulting from abuse and violence. The article’s entire focus is on one such case. The details of the investigation, including the brother’s testimony and autopsy findings, serve as qualitative evidence for this indicator.
• For Target 16.6: An implied indicator is the number of children harmed or killed while under the supervision or in the care of child protective services (like CYFD). The fact that the child was killed during a “home trial period” sanctioned by CYFD is a measure of the institution’s failure to protect her. Public and media perception of institutional effectiveness, as noted by the “4 Investigates” reporting, also serves as a qualitative indicator.

Summary of Findings

Source: kob.com