Two CYFD trial home visits end in parent charges, raising questions
By Alyssa Munoz
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KOAT) — Within the past week, two mothers from separate homes have been charged shortly after their children were released from the Children, Youth and Families Department custody.
One of the children, an 8-year-old boy, has been in CYFD custody since July 2023 after a domestic incident and testing positive for drugs. Now, two years later, he tested positive again.
“We took the easy way out, and we potentially set this family up for failure,” said Maralyn Beck, Founder of New Mexico Child First Network. “It’s time to advocate for better outcomes. If this child needed better resources, this is a manageable issue. Solutions exist. We need to get kids the appropriate placement.”
Last Wednesday, an 18-month-old died in their mother’s custody. Both children were on a trial home visit, which allows the child to go back with their parents for six months while being monitored.
“If you look at both of these cases within nine days of each other. Children in custody are not someone else’s problem, right? These children deserve resources, wraparound a community that can support them, continuity of care. We don’t have that in New Mexico,” Beck said.
On July 29, CYFD placed the 8-year-old back with his mom, Mercedes Barfoot, after she completed intensive outpatient treatment. According to court documents, this was also partially decided “due to the child making suicidal statements and repeatedly causing damage at the foster home he was in.”
“I think to make that a sufficient reason for sending him home, it doesn’t make any clinical sense to me. It seems like it should have been addressed as such. It should have been addressed as a as a problem of distress,” said Dr. George Davis, a child and adolescent psychiatrist.
The boy was placed back with Barfoot from July 29 to August 9. The CYFD coordinator checked in four times with the family. On August 9, she requested a welfare check after seeing the front door slightly open.
“This frontline worker is a hero and potentially saved this child’s life,” said Beck.
Inside the home, police found drug paraphernalia and a white powdery residue. Officials said the boy taken to the hospital after making suicidal statements, that’s where he tested positive for cocaine.
Barfoot has been charged with child abuse and tampering with evidence.
CYFD sent a statement to KOAT saying:
” CYFD is glad that the child is safe due to the diligent efforts of the CYFD worker in this case. The timeline outlined in the criminal complaint shows that the CYFD worker conducted several visits, both scheduled and unscheduled, to check on the safety of the boy. These steps resulted in the CYFD intervention and removal of the child to ensure the child’s safety. Substance misuse and addiction continue to be a major problem in New Mexico, and CYFD will continue our steadfast work to protect and support the children and youth who are vulnerable.”
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