Mesquite man now indicted alongside girlfriend in baby’s death

MESQUITE, New Mexico — A Mesquite man was indicted Tuesday in connection with the death of his girlfriend’s 5-month-old daughter back in April, according to Doña Ana County prosecutors.

They said 23-year-old Israel Ramirez is charged with child abuse resulting in death and intentional child abuse, both first-degree felonies.

Ramirez is currently out on $25,000 bond, which was granted by a judge following his arrest last month.

The child’s mother — 23-year-old Danielle Lujan — was previously indicted on the same felony charges that her boyfriend now also faces.

On April 17, sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call regarding a 5-month-old infant who was unresponsive.

Court documents show Ramirez told first responders that he had been watching the baby for a few hours while Lujan was at work.

Authorities said the infant was taken by ambulance to a hospital in critical condition with multiple fractured ribs and brain injury and later died.

(The Associated Press contributed background to this report.)