Alamogordo couple accused of abusing 3-month old baby

Investigators say a 3-month old baby suffered nearly 30 fractures at the hands of her parents.

The young Alamogordo couple, Cleopatra Ball and Warren McCowan, are charged with child abuse and neglect.

Alamogordo police say the abuse happened at the couple’s home on the 2100 block of Starlight. Prosecutors say newborn, Baby Scarlett, had 26 fractures in different stages of healing. Doctors say she was in obvious extreme pain for quite some time.

“Baby scarlett the reports had fractures, upwards of 26,” Deputy District Attorney Scot Key says the abuse likely began shortly after she was born, in December, 2014. Three months later, court documents state her mother, Cleopatra Ball, brought the baby in to the hospital after she noticed her leg swelling and a loss of appetite. Doctors found fractures throughout her body. Both parents denied harming her, theorizing the injuries were from a genetic bone disease. In October, the couple was arrested and charged.

“It’s heartbreaking, in this country we shouldn’t have this problem. We should be taking care of our children,” one neighbor said.

Baby Scarlett is doing fine now and is in state custody.

“Since CYFD has had custody of her, state custody, no further fractures, which speaks volumes in the causes of those fractures,” Key said.

A trial is expected later this year. The couple’s attorneys weren’t available for comment. Key says he’s confident the facts will speak for themselves in court.

“The experts have their expert opinion that his is blunt force trauma, not accidental, not a condition, not genetics, anything other than child abuse.”

If convicted, both parents are looking at a mandatory sentence of nearly 40 years in prison.