Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 | 6:15 p.m.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico State Police say a Nevada woman and her teenage son are accused of child abuse resulting in the death of the boy’s 12-year-old sister.
They say the 17-year-old boy sat on his sister’s face and throat for 45 minutes until she was not moving as the family traveled in a van Sunday on Interstate 40 in Cibola County near Laguna Pueblo.
State Police say the girl was airlifted to an Albuquerque hospital and died from her injuries Wednesday. Her name hasn’t been released yet.
Police say 39-year-old Heather Rooks of Pahrump and her son, Khachadourian Rooks, were booked into Cibola County adult and juvenile detention centers and could be facing additional charges.
It was unclear Thursday night if either had a lawyer yet.
Police say the woman and her two children were traveling from Santa Fe to Nevada.
According to an arrest warrant, the 12-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia threw a tantrum because she didn’t get a toy at a gas station.
Heather Rooks told police her son restrained his sister and they thought the girl had fallen asleep.
