New Mexico Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Under New Mexico law, anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse or assault can file a civil lawsuit against not just the person who abused them but also against churches, schools, or other third parties who negligently enabled the abuse to happen. This post will look at the basic elements of a sex abuse lawsuit in New Mexico. We will also analyze the potential settlement value of New Mexico sex abuse lawsuits.

New Mexico Sex Abuse Lawsuit News & Updates

July 21, 2025: Eight new lawsuits have been filed in New Mexico against Catholic dioceses in Texas and New Mexico, accusing clergy of sexually abusing children between the ages of 3 and 15. The cases were filed in the Third Judicial District Court and name the Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces and the Catholic Diocese of El Paso, along with six specific parishes where the alleged abuse took place:

• Our Lady of Health in Las Cruces

• Our Lady of Purification in Dona Ana

• Immaculate Conception in Alamogordo

• Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mesilla Park

• St. Anthony in Anthony

• St. Eleanor in Ruidoso

The lawsuits claim the abuse involved both male and female victims and took place while the priests were employed by the dioceses. The allegations include deeply disturbing claims of sexual abuse and long-term trauma.

May 31, 2025:  A New Mexico man will spend the next 18 years behind bars after pleading guilty to a brutal attack that left a massage parlor employee traumatized and violated. Nicolas Lacombe admitted to kidnapping the woman at gunpoint, robbing her, and then sexually assaulting her in a harrowing case that underscores the persistent danger faced by service workers, especially those working in vulnerable, often underprotected environments like massage parlors.

According to the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, Lacombe’s crimes unfolded in August 2019. They led to a sweeping set of charges, including kidnapping, aggravated battery, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment. Despite the clear violence and premeditation involved, Lacombe was permitted to plead guilty in December, avoiding a trial and receiving a sentence of just 18 years.

October 12, 2024: A jury in New Mexico issued a massive $485 million verdict in a sex abuse case in which a young girl was sexually assaulted by her foster father. The lawsuit was filed against the foster parents as well as Acadia Healthcare, a national behavioral health care provider that was involved in placing the girl in her foster home pursuant to its contract with the state of New Mexico.

September 20, 2024: Our sex abuse lawyers are focusing our attention on abuse and neglect relating to residential treatment facilities across New Mexico. These facilities have recently come under intense scrutiny and criticism following a Senate investigation report on systemic abuse and neglect.

The report detailed a pattern of misconduct and mistreatment – including physical and sexual abuse –  within facilities funded by taxpayer dollars, including Medicaid and child welfare programs. The report also named several companies that operate these treatment facilities, including Universal Health Services (UHS), Acadia Healthcare, and Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. Here are some of the main residential treatment facilities in New Mexico:

• UHS (Universal Health Services) operates Mesilla Valley Hospital in Las Cruces, providing residential treatment services for youth and adults.
• Acadia Healthcare previously operated Desert Hills of New Mexico, which was closed, and now operates Haven Behavioral Hospital of Albuquerque.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health operates a facility in Santa Fe focusing on behavioral health for children and adolescents.

These facilities have faced increasing scrutiny due to serious allegations of sexual abuse, neglect, and inadequate oversight, raising concerns about the safety of vulnerable youth placed in their care.

Here are more:

Turquoise Lodge Hospital

• Located in Albuquerque, this state-run facility focuses on addiction treatment for adults.

Sequoyah Adolescent Treatment Center

• Also in Albuquerque, this center is state-operated and offers treatment for adolescents with severe behavioral disorders.

New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute

• Situated in Las Vegas, NM, this state-operated facility provides comprehensive mental health care, including residential treatment for both youth and adults.

Four Winds Behavioral Health

• Located in Rio Rancho, this is an independent facility not affiliated with UHS, Acadia, or Devereux.

Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center Behavioral Health

• Based in Alamogordo, this facility provides behavioral health services but is not affiliated with the major national operators.

Camelot of New Mexico

• Located in Albuquerque, Camelot provides residential treatment for youth and operates independently of UHS, Acadia, and Devereux.

Youth Diagnostic and Development Center

• Based in Albuquerque, this is a state-run residential facility serving adolescents in the juvenile justice system.

What Constitutes Sexual Abuse in New Mexico

Under New Mexico law, sexual abuse is defined as any non-consensual sexual touching or contact. Sexual contact is further defined as touching of a person’s intimate parts intentionally done for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal.  Under this broad definition, anything from groping breasts at an office happy hour to forcible rape falls under the definition of sexual assault or abuse.

There are 2 critical elements that must be present in order for something to qualify as sexual battery in New Mexico: (1) sexual intent, and (2) lack of consent. The first element is sexual intent. The plaintiff must show that the defendant engaged in the unwanted touching for the purpose of sexual gratification. Accidentally touching someone’s private parts does not count.

When Can Abuse Victims Sue?

The person who committed the sexual assault or abuse with always be a primary defendant in any sexual battery lawsuit. Suing the abuser is often pointless, however, because they typically will not have the financial resources to pay for any settlement or verdict in the case. Suing the abuser only makes sense in a civil case if they are rich.

The key to financial success in a New Mexico sex abuse lawsuit is going after a third-party organizational defendant with deep pockets, like a church, school, or corporation. These parties can be held liable in a civil case if the plaintiff can show that their negligence somehow enabled the abuse to occur or to continue. Third parties in sex abuse lawsuits can also be held liable if they attempt to cover up abuse incidents afterward.

The burden of proof required to establish sexual battery in a civil case is notably lighter compared to that in a criminal trial. This means that it is much easier for a plaintiff in a civil lawsuit to demonstrate the occurrence of sexual abuse or assault. So even if an offender evades criminal prosecution, they can still be held liable in a civil court of law.

Getting Money from Third Parties in Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Survivors of sexual abuse have the right to pursue justice through the civil courts — even if no criminal charges were ever filed and even if the abuse was never previously reported. Filing a sexual abuse lawsuit allows victims to seek compensation for the harm they’ve suffered and hold accountable those who allowed it to happen.

While it is always possible to sue the individual abuser, in many cases that person may be in prison, deceased, or simply lack the assets to pay a judgment. That’s why many civil claims for sexual assault focus on third parties — institutions, employers, or organizations — that enabled the abuse through negligence. Whether it’s a school ignoring red flags about a teacher, a church covering up for abusive clergy, or a company failing to properly screen or supervise staff, these entities can and should be held responsible for creating dangerous conditions.

Holding third parties accountable is often the most effective way to achieve both justice and compensation. These institutions typically have liability insurance, assets, and a legal duty to protect those under their care. When they breach that duty by failing to investigate complaints, ignoring warning signs, or allowing abusers access to vulnerable people they can be held legally liable in a civil sexual abuse lawsuit.

From schools and churches to youth organizations and private businesses, any entity that turns a blind eye to abuse must be called out. Civil litigation is mostly about maximizing settlement compensation.  But is also about exposing institutional failure and forcing long-overdue change.

New Mexico Juvenile Detention Center Sex Abuse Lawsuits

A growing number of sex abuse lawsuits are being filed against juvenile detention centers in New Mexico and across the country. Recent reports and investigations have revealed that sexual abuse of inmates in juvenile detention facilities is a rampant problem. Below are some of the major juvenile detention center facilities in New Mexico.

• Bernalillo County Youth Services Center (Albuquerque)
• San Juan County Juvenile Services Center (Farmington)
• Lea County Juvenile Detention Center (Lovington)
• Juvenile Justice Services (New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department) (Various locations)
• Chaves County Juvenile Detention Center (Roswell)
• Doña Ana County Juvenile Detention Center (Las Cruces)
• Santa Fe County Youth Development Program (Santa Fe)

New Mexico Statute of Limitations for Sex Abuse Claims

New Mexico’s statute of limitations for child sex abuse claims is restrictive, no way around it. Under N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-30, victims generally have until their 24th birthday to file a lawsuit. If the abuse involves human trafficking, they have until age 28. That is not much time considering how long it often takes survivors to come forward. The state has not passed a lookback window. It has not eliminated the statute entirely. In a lot of ways, New Mexico is still stuck in an older legal mindset when it comes to how trauma works.

There is some breathing room built into the law through the discovery rule, which is where most hope lies. If a survivor realizes later in life that their injuries were caused by childhood abuse, they have three years from that point to file. Same thing if they disclose the abuse for the first time to a licensed doctor or mental health provider. But this is not just about someone saying they remembered something. The law requires competent medical or psychological testimony to support it. That puts a burden on survivors to produce not only their story but expert support to validate the timing.

The rule also extends to third parties. If the claim is against a school, church, foster care agency, or any other entity that may have enabled or ignored the abuse, the same three-year discovery window applies. That is a meaningful provision, especially in institutional cases where the abuser was protected or transferred.

Still, the reality if a survivor is older and has not made that connection in therapy or disclosed the abuse to a professional, they may be out of time. Unlike California or New York, where the law has evolved to meet survivors where they are, New Mexico’s framework is tight. It gives a narrow path forward if you can meet the discovery standard, but that path is not open to everyone.

Survivors in New Mexico need to act early or have strong documentation that explains why they could not file sooner. The law leaves little room for error and even less room for delay. This is not a survivor-friendly statute. It is a compromise. And in too many cases, it still favors finality over justice.

How Much Are New Mexico Sex Abuse Lawsuits Worth?

The value of a sex abuse lawsuit in New Mexico depends on several factors, but the range can be wide. Some cases settle for modest amounts. Others, especially those involving institutional abuse or lasting psychological damage, can reach into the hundreds of thousands or even millions. What drives the value is the severity and length of the abuse, the impact on the victim’s life, and whether the defendant has the money to pay a real settlement.

Cases involving schools, churches, treatment centers, or government-run facilities usually have higher value. That is because institutions carry more legal responsibility and typically have insurance or financial reserves that individual abusers do not. The legal system tends to treat institutional failure more seriously, especially when there is evidence of cover-ups or repeated misconduct.

Location matters too. Cases filed in Albuquerque often carry higher value than those brought in rural parts of the state. Albuquerque juries tend to be more receptive to abuse claims and more willing to award substantial damages. It is also where many of the more experienced attorneys, judges, and expert witnesses are based, which can shape how a case moves through the courts and how seriously defense lawyers and insurers take it.

Having the right lawyer is another major factor. A strong legal team knows how to document trauma, frame damages, and push for accountability without letting a case stall. Survivors with experienced legal help are far more likely to get fair results than those trying to navigate the process alone or with a general-practice attorney unfamiliar with abuse litigation.

There is no fixed number for these cases. But when the harm is serious, the institution is vulnerable, and the lawyer knows what they are doing, the value can be significant.

New Mexico Juvenile Detention Center Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Recent investigations and reports have revealed that sexual abuse of juveniles in Delaware’s juvenile detention centers is a rampant problem. Staff members at New Mexico juvenile detention facilities frequently sexually abuse vulnerable inmates through force and coercion. It has also become clear that the state of the state and its agencies have ignored the situation and negligently enabled children to be victimized at its facilities.

A growing number of individuals who were sexually abused at New Mexico juvenile detention centers are now filing juvenile detention sexual abuse lawsuits against the state. These lawsuits assert that the state breached its duty to ensure the safety of minors in its custody.

Below are the main juvenile detention facilities in New Mexico:

• Bernalillo County Youth Services Center (Albuquerque)
• San Juan County Juvenile Services Center (Farmington)
• Lea County Juvenile Detention Center (Lovington)
• Juvenile Justice Services (New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department) (Various locations)
• Chaves County Juvenile Detention Center (Roswell)
• Doña Ana County Juvenile Detention Center (Las Cruces)
• Santa Fe County Youth Development Program (Santa Fe)

New Mexico Sex Abuse Verdicts and Settlements

Below are summaries of recent settlements and verdicts in New Mexico sex abuse cases.

Contact Us About New Mexico Sex Abuse Lawsuits

If you were the victim of sexual abuse and want to file a sex abuse lawsuit in New Mexico, contact us today at 800-553-8082 or reach out to us online.