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Tiffany Toribio, 23, was arrested around 3:45 a.m. Mountain time Thursday, according to Albuquerque police.
She faces an open count of murder and several charges of child abuse resulting in death, according to court documents. She's being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond.
According to the criminal complaint, police received a tip on Wednesday, May 20, from a woman who reported seeing a boy on Mother's Day who matched the composite image police had released earlier that day. The caller said she had seen the boy at an apartment a few blocks from Alvarado Park.
Following that tip, police met up with two men who said Toribio and her son, identified as Tyruss during a news conference Thursday morning, had stayed with them for a few days. One of the men said he thought Toribio had been neglecting the boy and told her to leave.
She left the afternoon of May 12, leaving the boy at the home, but returned early the next morning, the man said. She then left with the boy and soon returned alone to gather her belongings. She would not tell him where the boy was, according to the report.
Police took Toribio into custody. During their interview, according to the complaint, Toribio had taken the boy to Alvarado Park the night of May 12 to sleep.
During the night, she said she started to push down on the boy's face, plugging his nose and mouth, according to the complaint. He stopped breathing, she said, and she performed CPR. She said the boy "came back," but started to shake and his eyes were rolling back. She then said she held the boy's nose and mouth again and the boy stopped breathing.
Toribio said she dug a hole in the sand with her hands and buried the boy, according to the warrant. She then left the park.
Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said during a news conference Thursday morning that Toribio attempted to commit suicide while in custody, but is now under close supervision.
"What makes this story especially sad was when asked the reason why she took Ty's life, Tiffany said that she did not want him to grow up with no one caring about him the same way that she had grown up with no one caring about her," Schultz said.
Her arraignment is Friday.
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Neighbors mourn boy Ty
News of Thursday's arrests provided the answers many neighbors needed as they gathered around the site where the boy was buried.
"We had seen him a lot," said neighbor Julie Gonzales. "I didn't know him personally, but I just know he's a quiet little boy, we had seen him almost every day. He was a good kid, never crying, always running around, never being bad."
Other neighbors said Toribio had shown up at previous vigils and a cookout to raise money to give the boy a proper burial.
"At the memorial, she's been here, but we never see her cry, she's just there," said Teresa Cordova.
Neighbors said the money they had raised will still go towards the boy's funeral, and the rest will be used for a memorial plaque.
"We named him 'Baby Angel' and it's important now that we know his real name," said Sarah Sandoval, who lives nearby. "Now, his mother will find out this baby has a lot of people who love him and will do anything for a child."
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