Patient charged with allegedly kidnapping health care worker in Las Cruces

A man undergoing treatment at a Las Cruces hospital was charged with kidnapping after he allegedly threatened a health care worker and held the woman against her will.

Brandon Joseph Wells, 25, was charged with one count of kidnapping, a second degree felony, according to Las Cruces Police.

Las Cruces Police detectives learned that at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27, a health care worker at Memorial Medical Center met with Wells near a nurse’s station and noticed that the patient appeared to be restless. After a short time, Wells grabbed the health care worker from behind, held a plastic knife to the woman’s throat and threatened to kill her if he was not allowed to leave.

Hospital staff allowed Wells to leave through a security door where he released the health care worker. Wells was quickly detained by hospital security staff and held until police arrived on scene

The health care worker was not physically injured during the incident.

Wells is being held at the Dona Ana County Detention Center with bond set at $25,000.

Source: Las Cruces Police Department