DA Byers Statement on the Baby Faviola Verdict
“This four-day trial was held a few days before the 5th Anniversary of Baby Faviola’s death. Lalo Anthony Castrillo was found guilty of intentionally abusing 2-year-old Fabiola Rodriguez, resulting in her death. During the course of those years, many prosecutors, victim’s advocates, legal secretaries, and police officers dedicated themselves to seeking justice for this innocent victim.
In the pursuit of justice, we took this case all the way to the New Mexico Supreme Court and back. The state’s highest court agreed with our assessment to secure accountability and reasonable remedies for the suppression of evidence. Ensuring the viability to proceed to trial. A child’s life was taken, it is for that very reason we continued to fight to prosecute and hold Lalo Castrillo fully accountable for Faviola’s death.
Throughout the years of prosecutorial adversity, the family maintained their confidence in the prosecution team’s ability to secure justice.
Over the course of the trial, 12 jury members from Doña Ana County heard all the evidence and returned a guilty verdict within hours of receiving the case. Validating the sense of community and upholding justice for Baby Faviola.” – District Attorney Gerald Byers