Opinion ID: 891645
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Negligent Child Abuse Resulting in Death Requires Proof of Criminal Negligence

Text: {32} Defendant first argues that defense counsel's claim that he could be convicted even if [the Child's death] was an accident, fell below an objective standard of reasonableness, Paredez, 2004-NMSC-036, ¶ 14, 136 N.M. 533, 101 P.3d 799, because it was confusing to Defendant and was a misstatement of the law. We agree. {33} We held in Santillanes, 115 N.M. at 222, 849 P.2d at 365, that a conviction for negligent child abuse resulting in death requires proof that the defendant's actions went beyond mere civil negligence or accidental conduct. Instead, the appropriate standard is criminal negligence, which requires that a person knew or should have known of the danger involved and acted with a reckless disregard for the safety or health of the child. Section 30-6-1(A)(3) (defining negligently for purposes of the child abuse statute). This is a far cry from a mere accidental death. {34} Numerous opinions of this Court and the Court of Appeals demonstrate that the civil/criminal distinction in this context goes well beyond semantics. See State v. Mascareñas, 2000-NMSC-017, ¶¶ 15-16, 129 N.M. 230, 4 P.3d 1221 (reversing a conviction for negligent child abuse resulting in the death of a child because of the possibility that the jury convicted the defendant under a civil negligence standard); State v. Magby, 1998-NMSC-042, ¶ 16, 126 N.M. 361, 969 P.2d 965 (same), overruled by Mascareñas, 2000-NMSC-017, ¶ 25, 129 N.M. 230, 4 P.3d 1221; Santillanes, 115 N.M. at 222, 849 P.2d at 365 (holding that the child abuse statute requires a showing of criminal negligence); State v. Chavez, 2007-NMCA-162, ¶¶ 18-22, 143 N.M. 126, 173 P.3d 48 (discussing development of the criminal negligence standard in cases involving negligent child abuse); cf. Schoonmaker, 2008-NMSC-010, ¶¶ 42-45, 143 N.M. 373, 176 P.3d 1105 (discussing criminal negligence standard required by child abuse statute). {35} Consequently, defense counsel's colloquial use of the term accident to describe a crime that requires proof of criminal negligence was erroneous, a clear misstatement of the law. ([S]o even if it was an accident, [Defendant] could be found guilty and sentenced as a first degree felon.) Our cases plainly demonstrate the importance of this distinction. Indeed, we have twice reversed convictions because of the possibility that the juries were not properly instructed on this issue and, thus, could have based their guilty verdicts on the civil negligence standard. See Magby, 1998-NMSC-042, ¶ 16, 126 N.M. 361, 969 P.2d 965; Santillanes, 115 N.M. at 222, 849 P.2d at 365. If a jury must be carefully instructed on the criminal negligence standard to return a proper verdict, surely Defendant has the same right before entering into a plea agreement. Defense counsel's remark ran a serious risk of misleading his client about his chances of conviction and, thus, fell below an objective standard of reasonableness.