Couple accused of accidentally killing child via fentanyl overdose face additional child abuse case

Jul. 20—A couple accused of having accidentally killed their child via a fentanyl overdose are now facing an additional case of child abuse.

Joenny Manuel Astacio, 36, and Kira Lee Villalba, 29, face six allegations in the new case filed against them in 4th Judicial District Court, including reckless child abuse causing serious bodily injury, contributing to delinquency, and controlled substance distribution to a minor, according to court records.

Prosecutors confirmed to The Gazette that the additional charges relate to an incident mentioned in the arrest affidavit for the death of their son, Cairo Astacio, where the couple allegedly gave a 13-year-old girl drugs, did drugs with her, and were with her when she overdosed and was taken to the hospital.

The girl, whose name was redacted from the affidavit, survived the overdose.

Currently, the accusations are arrest-only charges, and prosecutors may file additional charges ahead of the couple's first appearance scheduled for July 27.

Astacio and Villalba appeared in court on Wednesday for a preliminary hearing in the other case they face, where they are accused of letting 15-month-old Cairo die of a fentanyl overdose on Nov. 12, 2021.

When officers searched the couple's residence following the death of Cairo, they reported finding significant amounts of drugs, which they later determined included heroin, cocaine, marijuana and a fourth substance that was redacted from the arrest affidavit.

Detectives said there was such a high volume of items received that they were unable to test everything, records show.

The couple's substance-abuse issues were not new or unknown to authorities at the time of the incident. The affidavit states that the local Department of Human Services had been notified about the couple on three separate instances before their son's death.

In the death of Cairo, Astacio and Villalba each face one count of reckless child abuse causing death and three counts of controlled substance possession.

The attorneys for the couple requested to have their preliminary hearings pushed to a later date but did not waive their right to have a preliminary hearing.

Astacio and Villalba will be in court for preliminary hearings on Aug. 10.

They currently are being held in El Paso County jail, Astacio on a $200,000 bond and Villalba on a $100,000 bond.

Court records show that an additional bond of $250,000 has been set for them in the new case, which was filed against them on July 8.

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