A lawsuit has been filed against the Children, Youth, and Families Department after a 5-year-old girl died in Silver City last year.According to the arrest affidavit, six reports were made to CYFD with concerns of neglect, emotional abuse, and the home not being sanitary, among other things. In March 2024, Grant County sheriff’s deputies entered a home in Silver City after someone called police. On the scene, the person told deputies someone was unresponsive and later pointed out a 5-year-old girl. Deputies described the home as a “shed-like ‘tiny home'” that was in a state of disarray and unhygienic. In the home, Music Adame and Matthew Bynum were lying on the floor, a 7-year-old boy was lying in a chair in the corner, and the little girl was underneath the parents. According to body camera footage, the deputy ordered the parents to get up. In the documents, deputies described the parents as “extremely lethargic” and “out of it.” The little boy told a deputy his leg hurt, and he can’t bend it. He was taken to the paramedics as deputies tried CPR and Narcan on the little girl.”I felt her leg, and she was stiff and cold. I tried getting the da,d and he couldn’t get up,” said a deputy on the scene. The boy told police his sister turned 5 the day before. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with dehydration, pneumonia and had meth in his system. Officials said the little girl’s body was in rigor mortis when police found her, meaning she had been dead for hours. Documents show she died from carbon monoxide and had meth in her system. In an interview with police, Adame told police they would bring inside hot coals to stay warm, something that made her son sick once. Police also asked her if she knew her daughter was dead. “I did feel like something wasn’t right, and that’s why I was calling out for help. I did not know, I just knew something wasn’t right,” Adame told police. In May 2024, Adame and Bynum were charged with abuse of a child resulting in death, abuse of a child (Great Bodily Harm) and abuse of a child. “That’s not fair. I just talked to him , it was carbon monoxide poisoning and we did not do it on purpose,” Adame told deputies when she was arrested. Two people filed a lawsuit against CYFD on July 31 for violation of constitutional rights, wrongful death and violations of the New Mexico Tort Claims Act on behalf of the kids.Adame and Bynum have been released on bail. Adame’s trial is set for January. Bynum’s trial is set for March. KOAT reached out to CYFD about this lawsuit and whether anyone was fired because of this case. The department responded: “CYFD is unable to comment on pending litigation or personnel matters.”
A lawsuit has been filed against the Children, Youth, and Families Department after a 5-year-old girl died in Silver City last year.
According to the arrest affidavit, six reports were made to CYFD with concerns of neglect, emotional abuse, and the home not being sanitary, among other things.
In March 2024, Grant County sheriff’s deputies entered a home in Silver City after someone called police. On the scene, the person told deputies someone was unresponsive and later pointed out a 5-year-old girl. Deputies described the home as a “shed-like ‘tiny home'” that was in a state of disarray and unhygienic.
In the home, Music Adame and Matthew Bynum were lying on the floor, a 7-year-old boy was lying in a chair in the corner, and the little girl was underneath the parents. According to body camera footage, the deputy ordered the parents to get up. In the documents, deputies described the parents as “extremely lethargic” and “out of it.”
The little boy told a deputy his leg hurt, and he can’t bend it. He was taken to the paramedics as deputies tried CPR and Narcan on the little girl.
“I felt her leg, and she was stiff and cold. I tried getting the da,d and he couldn’t get up,” said a deputy on the scene.
The boy told police his sister turned 5 the day before. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with dehydration, pneumonia and had meth in his system.
Officials said the little girl’s body was in rigor mortis when police found her, meaning she had been dead for hours. Documents show she died from carbon monoxide and had meth in her system.
In an interview with police, Adame told police they would bring inside hot coals to stay warm, something that made her son sick once. Police also asked her if she knew her daughter was dead.
“I did feel like something wasn’t right, and that’s why I was calling out for help. I did not know, I just knew something wasn’t right,” Adame told police.
In May 2024, Adame and Bynum were charged with abuse of a child resulting in death, abuse of a child (Great Bodily Harm) and abuse of a child.
“That’s not fair. I just talked to him [the detective], it was carbon monoxide poisoning and we did not do it on purpose,” Adame told deputies when she was arrested.
Two people filed a lawsuit against CYFD on July 31 for violation of constitutional rights, wrongful death and violations of the New Mexico Tort Claims Act on behalf of the kids.
Adame and Bynum have been released on bail. Adame’s trial is set for January. Bynum’s trial is set for March.
KOAT reached out to CYFD about this lawsuit and whether anyone was fired because of this case. The department responded: “CYFD is unable to comment on pending litigation or personnel matters.”
