Mother of Baby Brianna transferred to Texas - KFOX

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — It’s been 14 years since the brutal death of baby Brianna, still one of the most horrific cases of child abuse in New Mexico’s history.

Today her mother was released from prison after serving nearly 13 years; she was given a year sentence.

Stephanie Rene Lopez walked out of prison Wednesday after serving less than half her sentence.

Baby Brianna’s mother was released early for good behavior.

The district attorney who helped put Lopez in prison is now the governor of New Mexico.

It doesn’t sit well with Governor Susana Martinez that this mother is now free.

“She should not be walking the streets of this state or anywhere else,” Martinez said.

Lopez was sentenced to 27 years in prison in for negligent abuse and child abuse resulting in death.

Her 5-month-old baby daughter was raped, suffered skull fractures, broken bones, and had numerous bite marks and bruises all over her body.

Brianna suffered, and her mother allowed it to happen.

“And was relying on her mother, someone she should rely on the most, wasn’t there for her and was killed by other men who tortured her and raped her, her mom was nowhere to be found,” Martinez said.

Briana’s father, Andrew Walters, and uncle, Steven Lopez, were also convicted of sexual and child abuse.

They were each sentenced to more than 50 years in prison.

Baby Brianna’s death started a public outcry and led to the creation of Brianna’s Law, which mandates a year prison term for child abuse resulting in death.

“The punishment was the maximum I could get for what she did; it should be greater than that,” Martinez said.

The governor said it’s cases like this that fuel her drive to reinstate the death penalty in New Mexico for convicted killers of police, children, and correction officers.

“The death penalty has been debated over and over, the fact that we want to protect our children and the law enforcement officers who protect us and correction officers who are there in the institutions making sure people are safe there as well, they have debated it.

Vote,” Martinez said.

Although she’s been released, Stephanie Lopez must still serve two years of parole in an undisclosed state outside of New Mexico.