Mother of accused teen says she didn’t know of pregnancy

By Tiffany Gibson

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 | 1:56 p.m.

The mother of a 19-year-old Henderson woman accused of suffocating her newborn son testified this morning she didn't know her daughter was pregnant.

Angela Camero said she was home at the time but didn't know her daughter was giving birth to an 11-pound baby on Aug. 23. She said in Henderson Justice Court today that she neither saw nor heard a baby in the home.

When she arrived home the next evening on Aug. 24, she testified she saw police surrounding the family's house on Desert Pond Avenue in Henderson. It was at that time she learned her daughter had given birth to a boy, she said.

Her testimony came during a preliminary hearing for Carmela Camero, 19, of Henderson, who appeared in court today beside her attorney, public defender Andrea Luem.

During an interview with Henderson police investigators, Carmela Camero told authorities she thought she was pregnant in June and July. Her mother testified she also was suspicious in July, but believed her daughter when she said she wasn’t pregnant.

“She’s always big and I would ask if she was pregnant in July,” Angela Camero said.

Angela Camero said she hadn’t noticed a change in her daughter’s appearance and was stunned when police told her about the details of the case.

“I was shocked and disappointed,” Angela Camero said.

Prosecutor Michael Staudaher questioned Angela Camero about conversations she had with her daughter after Aug. 23. Angela Camero said she couldn’t recall most details.

“The only thing I recall is asking ‘why did you not tell me?’” Angela Camero said. “She said ‘I’m sorry.’”

Angela Camero said she doesn’t recall the amount of time her daughter spent in the bathroom that day but said Carmela Camero took a bath to soothe her back pains. She said she checked on her daughter several times but never saw any evidence of blood.

On Oct. 21, Henderson Police Detective Mark Hosaka testified during the first part of Carmela Camero’s preliminary hearing that she told him the baby never cried, but was breathing. Clark County Coroner Gary Telgenhoff said the baby “had taken many breaths.”

In other testimony today, neighbors said they heard crying coming from an upstairs bedroom of the home about 9 p.m. Amy and Jerry Farris live near the Cameros’ home and said they heard a baby crying while they were barbecuing in their backyard.

“It was loud, but we continued our conversation,” Amy Farris said. “There was concern on my part.”

She said the crying lasted about 30 minutes before stopping.

“It was pretty continuous, and it was definitely an infant,” Amy Farris said.

Jerry Farris said he thought it was odd that the crying stopped so abruptly.

Hosaka testified on Oct. 21 that Carmela Camero had told him during an interview that the baby had problems breathing from the time of birth.

“She didn’t indicate the baby was crying, but said he was making noises,” Hosaka said. “She said she was laying with the baby in the upright position and he stopped breathing.”

He also testified that Carmela Camero confessed to killing the infant during an interrogation, but Luem has argued that Hosaka didn't follow Nevada law when questioning Camero.

A status check is set for 9 a.m. on Nov. 24 in Henderson Justice Court for closing arguments.