Charges dropped against man convicted of child abuse resulting in death

All charges have been dropped against Robert Flores, a man authorities say went to buy beer and left his baby in a clothes hamper where the baby ended up suffocating.

Las Cruces attorney Larry Pickett called ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom Friday and said the New Mexico Supreme Court denied an appeal to keep the charges against Flores.

Pickett said Flores is now cleared of all charges.

The incident happened in 2007 when Flores left his infant daughter alone in the laundry basket for 45 minutes. Authorities say Flores did not check on the baby for two additional hours and later found her dead from suffocation.

Just two months ago a court ruled negligence on behalf of the state and administrative burdens are what caused the case to last so long.

The case was sent back to the trial court with instructions to dismiss the charges against Flores.

However, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas fought the ruling and took it to the state supreme court to have the decision reconsidered.

The appeal by the state was denied by the state supreme court.

Flores, a former Artesia High School quarterback, was convicted of reckless child abuse resulting in death and tampering with evidence. All of the charges were dropped.