Woman arrested in toddler’s death
Gallup resident charged with abuse of 14-month-old
she baby-sat

The father of Tammy Espinosa arrived at the home where Espinosa was arrested Friday afternoon for child abuse resulting in death. Officer Andy Yearley listens to questions from family members after the arrest. [photo by Daniel Zollinger / Independent]

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — A 40-year-old Gallup woman was arrested Friday afternoon on a charge of child abuse resulting in death, seven months after a 14-month-old child in her care died because of neglect.

City police officers arrived at Tammy Espinosa’s 735 Kevin Court residence at about 3:30 p.m. and arrested her without incident on the first-degree felony charge. She was then booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center on a $30,000 cash only bond.

The baby suffocated on Sept. 18, 2007, while in Espinosa’s care at the Red Hills Trailer Park residence.

Espinosa reportedly baby-sat the child on a regular basis.
Lt. Rick White, a spokesman for the Gallup Police Department, said officials recently received all the medical records and autopsy results from the case and were able to make an arrest in the case.

The local district attorney’s office referred the case to Sandoval County for prosecution because some of its employees were related to the child.

White said Espinosa was taken into custody without incident. Espinosa could face up to 30 years in prison, if she is convicted of the crime.