Alamogordo police arrest father in child abuse case

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. – We’re seeing yet another instance of brutal child abuse. 

The victim is a two-month-old baby, and the alleged abuser is his father. The baby is still alive, now, a new Alamogordo police lapel video is showing the response the day that the dad was arrested. 

Police say they were called to Jason Herrera’s Alamogordo trailer last month after Herrera called 911 saying his baby wasn’t breathing.

Operator: “911, where is your emergency?”

Herrera: “My baby, my baby is choking and he can’t breathe.”

Jason Herrera heard calling the operator trying to ask questions.

Operator: “How old is he?”

Herrera: “I don’t know I don’t what I’m doing.”

Operator: “How old is your son?”

Herrera: “He can’t breathe!”

She tells him to calm down. Within five minutes, an officer comes and takes the baby to the hospital. Court documents say the officer found the baby was limp and not breathing.

Lapel video shows two Alamogordo Police officers arriving shortly after. Herrera was still on the phone with the 911 operator.

Police find Herrera sitting in a cluttered trailer, cigarette butts littered everywhere, as he tries to explain to officers what happened.

“I hit him on the back.”

He says he was told to hit the baby as hard as he could on the back by the 911 operator. 

“I didn’t do anything wrong! I probably shouldn’t have smacked him around in the beginning, I’m sorry! I just didn’t know what to do.”

He repeated it over and over.

“The lady told me to hit his back as hard as I could. At that point, I went to a fist. That wasn’t a good decision, was it? Was it?”

The two-month-old was taken to a nearby hospital. The injuries were so severe that the baby had to be air lifted to an El Paso hospital, where they were able to save him.

Herrera was taken into custody to be questioned, where he said the injuries the baby had were from trying to save his son.

“I just really feel like I didn’t do anything wrong. I watch a lot of cop shows and you’re going to take me to jail.”

According to the probable cause affidavit, doctors in El Paso say that’s not true. The baby had several broken ribs, two broken femurs, severe head injuries and more. They say some of the injuries happened well before the 911 call.

That’s when authorities showed back up at Herrera’s house and arrested him.

Herrera: “What am I charged with though?”

Officer: “Child abuse resulting in great bodily harm. It’s a first-degree felony.”

Herrera: “So, I’m getting child abuse? But I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Herrera is still in jail. KOB 4 learned Herrera has been charged with child abuse before, back in 2018. His next court appearance, in this case, is set for next month.