Governor and DOH Silent on Whether Young Woman, a DD Waiver Client Who is Reported to have Suffered “Horrific” Abuse, has Died.
Sources familiar with the matter of a DD Waiver client who’s case was being investigated as being a victim of “misconduct that resulted in severe and life-threatening injuries to a client,” tell The Candle that the young woman has, sadly, died.
Reports of the woman’s death have been circulating for at least five days and there has been no acknowledgement by anyone in the governor’s administration as to the status of this victim of neglect, abuse or exploitation, for more than a month.
Despite inquiries, the office of the Governor and the Department of Health won’t confirm or deny the reports.
The Governor and the Secretary of Health appear to be using law enforcement’s ongoing investigation as one of the ways to control the narrative on the tragic and profound failure to protect a person under the care of the state.
To not even acknowledge whether the client is alive or has died seems an attempt to minimize the attention to that failure to protect against the horrific abuse.
It is important to note that knowledge of this case has existed since at least March 1, 2023, and the severity of the matter was not shared by the Governor until twenty days later, which was also two days after the legislature had adjourned for the year.
The information that the Governor’s administration has shared continues to be carefully guarded.
Yesterday, the Candle emailed Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s spokeswoman, Maddy Hayden, and Department of Health spokespeople, Jodi McGinnis Porter and David Morgan asking the following:
- “Are DOH and the Governor’s Office holding back on life/death information regarding the DD Waiver Client the Governor spoke of at her March 20th press conference as having suffered “horrific” life-threatening injuries?”
- “Our sources tell us the sad news that she died about a week ago. Is that true?”
- “And if it is true, why has the administration not released that information?”
The Governor and DOH continue their silence.