N.M. caregiver sentenced to 30 years for ‘gruesome’ neglect death of developmentally disabled woman

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (TCN) -- A 55-year-old woman has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for her role in the neglect-related death of a developmentally delayed woman in her care.

In February 2023, Angelita Chacon put 38-year-old Mary Melero into a van and drove her to the U.S.-Mexico border, KRQE reports. Melero was later found in the van by border patrol agents. She had reportedly been drugged and was dehydrated. She was suffering from bedsores so deep that they exposed the bone. Melero died approximately two months later.

According to the New Mexico Department of Justice, Chacon was charged with abuse of a resident resulting in death, false imprisonment, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Chacon’s girlfriend, Patricia Hurtado, was charged as well.

According to Joseph Martinez, general counsel for the New Mexico Department of Justice, “Injuries were gruesome. It really was almost amounted to torture,” KRQE reports.

According to KRQE, Chacon was enrolled in a developmental disabilities waiver program and received $5,000 a month for Melero’s care. The Rio Rancho Observer reports that an investigation found Keyona Zamora, an employee of Medicaid, worked with Melero and Hurtado to falsify records in order to get paid through the waiver program. She was charged and pleaded guilty in 2024.

On Sept. 28, Chacon pleaded no contest to the charges, according to KOB. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $3.3 million in restitution, per the DOJ. Hurtado reportedly provided critical testimony against Chacon in exchange for a five-year prison sentence. She has also agreed to pay her share of the restitution.

According to a memorial statement shared via her family’s attorneys, “Mary was a happy and innocent lady who was always ready to make people laugh. Her laugh was so contagious that her giggles and smiles would light up everyone she was around. She would not let her disability limit her. Mary loved her young nieces and nephews purely and would freely give love to everyone around. She did not have an evil bone in her body.”

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