New body camera video and testimony in Alexis Avila trial
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*Viewers may find details disturbing.*
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – First responders and medical professionals spent hours on the witness stand during Day 2 of Alexis Avila’s attempted murder and child abuse trial.
On Tuesday, the state showed the surveillance video many have seen, showing Alexis Avila throwing her newborn baby boy into a dumpster behind a Hobbs business.
But, on Wednesday, people saw new body camera video and new photos, including several of “Baby Doe” in the hospital.
The state started the day with testimony from two more first responders who handled the baby boy right after the three strangers found him in the dumpster.
They spoke about how cold he was, how cold it was that January night, and one of the officers spoke about what she saw when she stayed in the trauma room at the hospital.
“They were trying to get a body temperature of him with a digital thermometer and they weren’t– his temperature was so low it wouldn’t even register on the thermometer. They tried under his arm and even a rectal temperature, and they couldn’t,” said Hobbs Police Officer Jennifer Maxwell.
Then they moved on to medical professionals in Hobbs and Lubbock who treated the baby.
An ER doctor talked about the baby’s very low temperature and heartbeat compared to normal numbers. She described his “profound hypothermia,” saying it could be considered an injury to the child.
“Are you able to tell the jury what the likelihood of this baby not surviving would’ve been had you not embarked on this course of medical treatment for the baby?”
“This baby would’ve died if we would’ve not intervened, and resuscitated,” said Dr. Susan Heineck, an emergency room physician.
The state called a child abuse pediatrician from the University of California who spoke to the baby’s health, and said she found his conditions were inflicted, not natural.
A crime scene tech testified about both scenes at the dumpster, and Avila’s home where they found bloody clothes and towels. A detective showed the jury the trash bags where they found the baby boy.
The state says they have four more witnesses to call Thursday, including the lead detective who interviewed Avila. Then it’s the defense’s turn to call any other witnesses.
Avila is facing attempted first degree murder, and alternatively felony child abuse.