The father of a 9-year-old Chimayó boy is accused of injecting heroin into his son’s neck, leaving track marks the rest of his family discovered later.
The boy, Luke Velasquez, told State Police his father, Jose Paul Velasquez Jr., injected him with heroin about 10 times, according to a criminal complaint filed June 22 in Rio Arriba County Magistrate Court. The boy tested positive for illegal drugs at Española Hospital, according to a State Police affidavit.
Jose Velasquez, 30, of Chimayó, faces felony counts of child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He could face up to 4.5 years in prison on these charges under state law.
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Luke Velasquez, who lives with his father, was with his mother Violet Coriz and sister Gabriella Velasquez. Coriz said she took her son to the hospital because his sister said Luke Velasquez had been given heroin and had track marks on his neck.
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Fetty spoke to Luke Velasquez, who at first said he was given heroin by a friend who was 15 years old. The boy would not give the friend’s name. He then changed his story and said his father was the one who injected him with heroin.
After Luke Velasquez was released from the hospital, Fetty interviewed the family. Gabriella Velasquez told the officer her cousin told her Luke Velasquez was being injected with heroin by his father.
She told her mother about this, which was when they took Luke Velasquez to the hospital for a drug test. She said her brother told the doctors he had been injected at least 10 times by people he identified as “they.†The boy also told the doctor he took a Suboxone, a drug used to treat heroin withdrawal, in the morning.
Gabriella Velasquez said her father has offered her drugs and alcohol in the past. She said she did drink once because she was afraid of her father and did not know what else to do. Gabriella Velasquez said her father offered her a Suboxone on June 19, but she refused, saying she had God and did not need drugs. She said her father told her if she wanted any Suboxone, he had some.
Luke Velasquez said he had seen his father inject heroin with a needle before. He also said his father lets him drink a little and smoke marijuana with him. Luke Velsquez pointed to the right side of his neck when Fetty asked him to show where he was injected with heroin.
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