A 1-year-old boy named Micah Tran died at the New Mexico Early Learning Academy in Tijeras, and his

A 1-year-old boy named Micah Tran died at the New Mexico Early Learning Academy in Tijeras, and his family is now pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility’s owners, Crystal and Ricardo Romero. The legal action follows a series of internal warnings from former staff members who allege that the center ignored persistent health, safety, and staffing problems long before the tragedy occurred. 4 Investigates first reported these allegations, drawing attention to a facility that had been cited 11 times in 2026 for sanitation and maintenance failures across three Bernalillo County locations.

For parents across the country, the stakes of this story go beyond a single heartbreaking loss. The central question now facing New Mexico regulators is whether the state’s desire to maintain child care capacity has come at the expense of basic safety standards.

Former Employees Describe Neglected Facility Conditions

Former employees at the academy have provided a harrowing account of the conditions inside the Tijeras location. Daisy Gutierrez, Angela Barela, and Nataly Booth were among those who raised alarms with the Romeros, only to see their concerns go unaddressed. Gutierrez, who resigned four months before Micah’s death, described a facility where basic hygiene was neglected. “None of the cups of water were being washed. They looked disgusting, moldy,” Nataly Booth stated. Others reported that infants were left in soiled diapers for the duration of the day and that children were sometimes left without proper winter clothing while playing outside in the snow.

Lawsuit Claims 1-Year-Old Died at Tijeras Day Care After Safety Warnings

State regulations in New Mexico mandate a specific limit for infant and toddler classrooms, requiring one teacher for every six children. Angela Barela reported that at times, she was responsible for 13 children at once, more than double the legal limit. State inspections confirmed these patterns, finding classrooms with 18 children on three separate occasions last year.

It really is like devastating that like all our cries for help and all our cries. All our standing up and trying to advocate never went through. — Daisy Gutierrez, former employee

The Regulatory Balancing Act

When confronted with these findings, Early Childhood Education and Care Department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky faced questions regarding why the state had not taken more aggressive action, such as revoking the center’s license. Groginsky pointed to the difficult position regulators occupy, noting that closing a center that serves a large number of families creates its own set of hardships for the community. “I think it’s again that balance,” Groginsky said. “We could close the whole center down. And then we could potentially, you know, put other children and families in difficult situations.”

The records obtained by 4 Investigates also indicated that administrators failed to display required inspection reports and, in some instances, withheld information from both parents and state officials during staff transitions.

Criminal Investigation Remains at Standstill

While the civil lawsuit moves through the court system, the criminal side of the investigation remains at a standstill. As of early November 2026, Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputies have not filed criminal charges in connection with Micah’s death. The owners, Crystal and Ricardo Romero, have not responded to repeated requests for comment regarding the allegations or the lawsuit.

The academy recently notified parents that it would implement a new monthly menu featuring age-appropriate food, showing a disconnect between staff reports and management policy. This change comes after former employees alleged that infants as young as six months old were previously fed items like nachos and carrot sticks. For a family grieving the loss of their child, such administrative adjustments offer little solace.

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