Police charge man with child abuse after loaded gun is found in infant’s car seat

Las Cruces Police charged a driver accused of carrying a loaded handgun in his infant’s car seat with child abuse.

Thomas Adrian Brown, 22, of the 1800 block of Sexton Street, is charged with a third-degree felony count of child abuse and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

On Aug. 9, 2017, a police officer pulled over the driver of a 2001 Oldsmobile that failed to maintain traffic lanes. Before the vehicle came to a stop, the officer observed
the driver moving around in his seat and ducking several times, police said.

The vehicle came to a stop near Lohman Avenue and Nacho Drive. The officer learned the driver, identified as Brown, did not have a valid driver’s license, insurance
or registration for the vehicle, police said.

Brown was asked to exit the vehicle and was allowed to call for a ride since the vehicle was going to be towed.

As a relative removed Brown’s 1-year-old son from his car seat, a fully loaded 9mm handgun fell from the infant’s seat. Investigators believe the handgun did not belong to the relative and was likely placed in the child’s car seat prior to the traffic stop.

Police said investigators obtained a criminal history of Brown and learned he was convicted of a felony in 2015. In New Mexico it is illegal to receive, transport or possess a firearm for 10 years following service of a felony conviction.

Brown was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is initially being held without bond.