ARTESIA, NM. — On January 26th right before midnight, Alexee Trevizo came into the Artesia general hospital emergency room. When she was examined, Trevizo was in what she described as agonizing back pain. Unbeknown to everyone, Trevizo was pregnant, and she wanted to hide that fact from everyone. When Trevizo came into the hospital, she was wearing baggy clothing to conceal the fact that she was pregnant and in labor. Furthermore, the nurses and doctors prescribed Trevizo 19 ng/mL of morphine. When morphine is given to pregnant women, the morphine ends up crossing the placenta and overall creates unnecessary risks for the unborn fetus. According to the National Center for Biotechnology information, morphine increases the chances of the mother miscarrying. Most hospitals do not recommend pregnant women be given morphine, but since Alexee Trevizo came in for back pain, and did not mention her pregnancy, she was administered the drug.  

When Trevizo was examined, the medical officials told her that she was in fact pregnant. Shortly after she was told the news, Trevizo rushed to the restroom and locked herself in. The staff eventually got worried for the patient as she had been in the bathroom for a while. But when they mentioned they were going to force their way in, Trevizo finally walked out acting as if nothing had happened. The housekeeper/janitor went inside the restroom to do her daily maintenance and was immediately hit with the shocking remains in the bathroom, there were bloody towels and blood found on the floor. She mentioned it to the staff but since it was a hospital, it was eventually discarded. When the housekeeper took the trash bag out, she noticed it was significantly heavier than the rest of the trash bags she had taken out prior. This prompted her to open the trash bag and find the deceased newborn in the bottom. It is presumed by professionals that when Trevizo was in the restroom, she gave birth and placed the baby in the trash. 

Trevizo was then confronted by the authorities and there Trevizo confessed that when she gave birth to the newborn, the baby was not breathing, and in her panicked state she ended up throwing the baby in the trash and fleeing the scene. After many months of investigating, the officials revealed that the baby was in fact born with air in his lungs, proving Trevizo’s claim was false. Along with this information it was also revealed that the cause of death of the infant was lack of oxygen. A medical examiner’s report stated that “the baby was born alive but died shortly after birth” and that the oxygen found in the lungs and stomach of the baby proved that the baby was breathing. 

On May 10th, 2023, a criminal complaint was filed against Alexee Trevizo. In court, Trevizo’s lawyer used her medical records to blame the death of the infant on the hospital. Since morphine was administered to a pregnant woman when that is not recommended, the hospital was put at fault. After the newborn was found, a toxicology report was given to Trevizo where it was revealed that Trevizo took a weight loss drug after she gave birth, the drug was phentermine. This drug is given to overweight people who have found it hard to lose weight even when on a diet. This drug is described by the Mayo Clinic as “a prescription medicine used to lessen appetite”, they also specify that this drug is not supposed to be used on pregnant women. Even after all the tests were performed, it is still unknown whether Trevizo was taking the drug while she was pregnant or if she just took the pill after to help her lose the excess body fat. Although Trevizo’s lawyer continues to blame the drugs administered to her as the issue, both the lawyer and Trevizo have not spoken up about why the weight loss drug was used or since when she started taking the drug. The same day the criminal complaint was filed, Trevizo was also charged with first degree murder or “alternatively” intentional abuse of a child.