Alexis Avila, accused of dumping newborn, testifies in her own defense

LOVINGTON, NM (KCBD) - The Hobbs teenager accused of throwing her baby into a dumpster testified in her own defense on Thursday, explaining her reaction when officers confronted her about leaving the child in the January cold last year.

ATTORNEY: “You did tell Detective Paris, you asked if the baby was okay.”

AVILA: “Yes.”

ATTORNEY: “Why’d you ask him that?”

AVILA: “Because with or without that incident, he’s still mine.”

ATTORNEY: “Do you understand how your actions affected the baby?”

AVILA: “Yes”

ATTORNEY: “And what do you think of that?”

AVILA: “That hurts. That’s something that he’s never going to forget. It’s something that’s going to affect him for the rest of his life as well as myself.”

The prosecutor followed up with this exchange:

PROSECUTOR: “You made putting the newborn into the dumpster-- you didn’t miss, did you?”

AVILA: “From what I’ve seen in the video, no.”

PROSECUTOR: “And that’s because you were able to get your newborn insdie those bags into the dumpster, weren’t you?”

AVILA: “I’m sorry?”

PROSECUTOR: “You were able to get your newborn baby into that dumpster, weren’t you?”

AVILA: “From what I’ve seen in the video, yes.”

PROSECUTOR: “And you were able to turn around, just before your baby makes impact with the garbage in that dumpster, before getting into your vehicle, weren’t you?”

AVILA: “From what I’ve seen in the video, yes.”

PROSECUTOR: “And you were able to observe yourself driving away from the dumpster, weren’t you?”

AVILA: “From what I’ve seen in the video, yes.”

Thursday was the final day of testimony. The jury will deliberate on Friday.

Avila pleaded not guilty last year. If convicted, she faces at least 18 years in prison.

We’ll continue live coverage of this trial from Lovington on Friday.

Copyright 2023 KCBD. All rights reserved.