A former Las Cruces pre-K teacher, 27-year-old Jennifer Hernandez, has been charged with seven counts of intentional child abuse, all third-degree felonies. The investigation began in February after the parents of a child contacted the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office. As part of the investigation, an LCPD detective obtained video from the Discovery Development Center, where Hernandez had previously worked. The alleged incidents are believed to have occurred during the early morning of Dec. 9, 2025.