Las Cruces Mother calls for justice as teen trial for son’s shooting nears
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) –- A Las Cruces mother shared her worries about the local justice system ahead of a trial stemming from the shooting death of her 13-year-old son, Chris Carnero, that happened March 30.
The trial for the accused teenager facing involuntary manslaughter charges is scheduled to begin July 28 in the Third Judicial District Court in Las Cruces.
The incident involved an alleged stolen firearm brought into their home where Carnero was shot.
Janel Carnero, Chris’s mother, said she’s worried the defendant, if convicted of involuntary manslaughter, faces a maximum sentence of two years in a juvenile facility with no probation.
“The fact that this person who took my son away is possibly going to get a maximum of two years in juvenile detention and immediately released back out into society. It’s terrifying because I… I couldn’t keep Chris safe. So how can I help other people keep their kids safe when I’m living in this reality of two years. He’ll be in high school around so many other kids,” Carnero said.
The three-day jury trial will happen in Courtroom 2 at the Third Judicial District Court in Las Cruces. Judge Lara is presiding over the proceedings.
Chris’ mother described her son as an incredibly kind and deeply loved child. She said thousands in the community have shared stories of his kindness since his death, which has left a significant void in Las Cruces.
“Yet, despite the devastating reality of bringing a stolen firearm into someone’s home and taking the life of a 13-year-old boy, the charge being brought is involuntary manslaughter,” Carnero said in an email.
Carnero recounted stories people have told her since her son’s death.
“We had a little girl come up to us at his funeral and she was just crying. We all were. And she said she was being bullied in school, and she was having a really hard time until she moved into another class with Chris. And Chris immediately became her friend and told his other friends that he needed them to be friends with her and to be nice. Otherwise they weren’t going to be his friends anymore, and she suddenly friends. And everything was okay for her,” Carnero said.
Carnero shared another story about a time Chris made a care package for a friend.
“I had gotten a little boy. He didn’t have a very many friends, and he was having a really hard time at school and started started seventh grade. And he had Chris for two classes, and Chris ended up seeing that he wasn’t getting very many friends, and people were making fun of him because of the way that he was addressed,” Carnero said. “So Chris took him some cologne, and deodorant. He made him a little care package and became his friend. He introduced him to all his friends and they were really close after that,” Carnero continued.
Carnero said his friends used to call him ‘snack king’ because he would bring snacks to all his friends at school. She said a lot of his friends in the area didn’t have too much. She went on to say Chris would make sure they all had food when they came over to the house.
Carnero said the incident brought juvenile crime to a brighter light on how severe it’s getting.
“My son wasn’t safe in his own room. Those kids weren’t safe at a park. It’s it’s just scary. As a parent, you try your best, to give your kids the best and to teach them right from wrong. And to see what;s good in the world and to help others to be good people. What do you do with this? How do you fight this,” Carnero said.
Carnero had one more message for other parents.
“Just be as vigilant as you can. Ask as many questions as you can. Protect your babies. And hold them a little bit longer for me,” Carnero said.
ABC-7 reached out to Doña Ana District Attorney Fernando Macias on penalties for juvenile crime. He was unavailable for an interview.
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