Slain New Mexico girl's relatives mystified over mom's role

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Michelle Martens kept her new relationship with a man convicted of child endangerment a secret from friends and family for weeks — as she helped plan her daughter's 10th birthday party, sent the girl off daily to the school bus and held down her job at a local grocery store.

[...] relatives and friends of the 35-year-old single mother are trying to figure out why they never knew about her involvement with the boyfriend and her invitation for his cousin who is a convicted felon to live in her apartment.

Court records show all three face charges in the death of Victoria Martens, who was expected to celebrate her 10th birthday the day her body was found last week after police say she was drugged, raped and killed in the apartment as her mother watched.

The three face charges of child abuse resulting in death, kidnapping and tampering with evidence and are jailed for lack of $1 million bail each.

New Mexico officials have said they never received any reports of violent or sexual abuse about the household where Victoria lived with her mother.

Bobbs said Victoria's killing is an example for New Mexico state officials that they must to do more to prevent what has turned into a horrific string of children killed by relatives or people close to them in recent years.