An Albuquerque woman has been accused of killing her 18-month-old daughter by slamming her head against a wall while the girl’s 7-year-old brother watched, according to Albuquerque police.

Vanessa Chavez, 40, has been charged with an open count of child abuse in the incident, which happened about a month after the girl returned home on a trial run after being born with drugs in her system and spending much of her life with another family member.

The criminal complaint was filed Wednesday in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court. The 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office plans to charge Chavez with intentional child abuse resulting in death and other crimes, Chief Deputy District Attorney Natalie Lyon wrote in an email. The first-degree felony carries a penalty of life in prison.

“This

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