Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Source says Mother of 'Baby Brianna' will live in El Paso, complete parole - KVIA El Paso

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GRANTS, N.M. -

Baby Brianna's mother was released from prison Wednesday morning, the New Mexico Corrections Department confirmed.  


Stephanie Lopez left the facility in Grants, New Mexico, after serving just shy of a 13-year sentence for the murder of her 5-month-old daughter.


She served less than half her sentence because under the law, she was eligible for day-for-day good time, and credit for time served in jail while waiting for trial.


The death was one of the worse abuse cases seen in Southern New Mexico.


Video from KOB-TV shows Lopez getting into a car driven by her mother after her release, her mother driving off without saying a word.


Later, video showed the car stopping to pump gas in Los Lunas, Lopez trying to hide from the cameras.


While Lopez declined to talk to reporters, a New Mexico State Corrections Official did give some details on what her life will be like moving forward.


Lopez is moving to another state, which was not disclosed. She will be on parole for two years.


Although the location was not given, a source with knowledge of the case tells ABC-7 Lopez will live in El Paso and will complete her parole there.


Officials also said Lopez earned an associate's degree in fine arts while she was in prison.


Lopez also received drug rehabilitation and counseling.


In 2003, Stephanie Lopez was sentenced to 27 years in prison for not doing anything while her 5-month-old daughter Brianna was repeatedly beaten, bitten, burned and raped by her father and uncle. Lopez was convicted of child abuse after her daughter died from the beating and sexual abuse she endured.

Brianna's father, Andy Walters, and her uncle Stephen Lopez were sentenced to more than 50 years in prison in the case.


"The case sent shock waves through the community. Baby Brianna was horrifically tortured, raped, and murdered, and we all want the monsters who took part in this brutal crime to face justice," Secretary of Corrections Gregg Marcantel said in a news release announcing Stephanie Lopez's release.


"Unfortunately, the law at the time allowed these violent offenders to have a much lighter sentence that what they deserved."


Stephanie Lopez wasn't scheduled to be released until Saturday.


Since the death of Baby Briana, the state of New Mexico has adopted Baby Brianna's Law, which set a mandatory life sentence for child abuse resulting in the death of a child 13 or younger.


Effort to expand the law to children ages 14-18 have failed in the Legislature.


New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez was the Doña Ana County district attorney who prosecuted the Baby Brianna case.


Since taking office, Martinez, a Republican,  proposed reinstating the death penalty to include those charged with intentional child abuse resulting in death. She said she will continue pushing for the death penalty.


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