How Could You? Hall of Shame-Martin Lopez
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Las Cruces, New Mexico, foster father Martin Lopez, 51, “was found guilty of three counts of first-degree criminal sexual penetration and one count of criminal sexual contact of a minor, a second-degree felony” in the sexual abuse of his 5-year-old foster daughter. The abuse began in 2004. He was not arrested until 2008.
“According to the indictment, Lopez threatened not to feed the girl and her brother if she did not perform the sexual acts.
Third Judicial District Chief Judge Douglas Driggers ordered a $100,000 bond, according to the [3rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office] news release, and Lopez was taken into custody.
Jury convicts La Mesa man of sexually abusing foster child
[Las Cruces Cun-News 5/31/13]
2008 Media
“A La Mesa man has been indicted for the alleged sexual abuse of a then-5-year-old girl in his foster care and threatening the girl with not feeding her and her brother if she did not perform sex acts.
Martin Lopez, 45, was indicted Thursday by a Doña Ana County grand jury. He faces three counts of first-degree criminal sexual penetration of a minor under the age of 13 and one count of second-degree criminal sexual contact.
Lopez has not been arrested. A message seeking comment left for him at his parents’ home was not returned Monday. It’s unclear if he’s hired an attorney.
The alleged abuse took place during a 13-month period starting in April 2004. During that time, the girl and her brother were in Lopez’s care, prosecutor Heather Chavez said.
The allegations came to light only recently when the girl was placed in the care of her stepmother, who lives out of state.
“She had written it down on a piece of paper and showed it to her stepmother,” Chavez said.
Chavez said the time it took the girl to report the allegations does not speak to the credibility of her statements.
“It is actually very common for children to not disclose at that age,” Chavez said.
If convicted, Lopez could face more than 60 years in prison.
Lopez does not have a prior criminal history, according to the indictment.
A message left for a spokesman for Children, Youth and Families Department, the agency that places children in foster care, was not immediately returned.”
Foster dad charged with sex abuse
[El Paso Times 5/20/08 by Jose L. Medina]
REFORM Puzzle Pieces
My kids are related 2 martin lopez and its really hard for us to understand this ugly situation very horrible but what about the foster mom maria lopez where was she when all this is going on?? Our prayers go out to this girl and her brother he ruined their incocent lives we hope he pays for what he’s done he needs counceling he’s poor boys bless their hearts for having an awful father. Not enough punishment.
Frances Luna,
I’m sorry for your personal pain over this situation.
However, I’m troubled by the question “… what about the foster mom maria lopez where was she when all this is going on?…” There seems to be a belief in our culture that behind every man who commits sexual assault is a woman who’s at fault for not stopping him. I’m not trying to personally attack you, just to draw your attention to the unconscious assumptions in this very common reaction.
Perhaps I wouldn’t have noticed this except for a poster on another site who’s insisting that a woman who doesn’t successfully guard her drink from being roofied is “complicit” in her own rape. Whenever a man is accused of sexual misconduct– from infidelity to raping a child– it’s like there’s a deep-seated compulsion to find a woman to deflect some of the blame to.
I can’t find any coverage implying that his wife was in any way involved in his crimes, or even knew they had occurred prior to Martin Lopez’s 2008 arrest. You may know Maria Lopez, and have a reason for questioning her innocence. But the form of your question seems to imply that she’s at fault for simply NOT having known what was going on, not that she DID know and negligently failed to act to protect the girl and her brother.
Please just think about it, okay?
From her writing it appears as a question and yet only a possible indication of guilt. Her side of the story is not mentioned and only can be questionable.