Font ResizeLAS CRUCES - The Berino woman who was hospitalized after her toes were eaten by rodents has died.
Maria Najera, who had been confined to her bed and had little feeling in her extremities, was hospitalized Dec. 20 after her family discovered the injury. The 85-year-old widow, who had heart problems, contracted pneumonia and died Thursday, her daughter-in-law, Lori Delhierro, said Tuesday.
Delhierro had hoped to scrape together $75 to free two pugs from the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley, 3551 Bataan Memorial Hwy., where Najera's five other dogs - mostly chihuahuas - are also being held. She's now facing a $2,500 bill, for her mother-in-law's burial plot and funeral.
Now that the family has been deep-cleaning Najera's property, the evidence of rodents is overwhelming, Delhierro said. The whole neighborhood was afflicted by rats, she said.
"There's a chicken farm," she said Tuesday, with a rooster crowing in the background. "We live right in front of it, so now that there's no feed there, (the rats) come out to feed at people's residences, whoever has chickens and rabbits. We haven't been staying at the house since all this happened."
Delhierro is emotional speaking about her beloved mother-in-law, whose husband died when Delhierro's own husband was just a little boy.
"Those 25 years, we were all together," said Delhierro, who drew upon her former work experience in a nursing home to help Najera. "My daughter was the caregiver, but I'm the one who
Najera was a faithful, happy woman, Delhierro said.
"A lot of people knew my mother-in-law, especially people here in Berino," she said. "She was always smiling, she went to church when she was able to. She was always in church - always. She went with me and the kids to birthday parties. She was always smiling, I mean, she just won people's hearts. She was a wonderful lady."
It's still shocking and sad what happened to Najera, said Dr. Beth Vesco-Mock, the director of the animal shelter.
"It's such a bizarre story," said Vesco-Mock, who heard of Najera's death on Monday night.
"We all have to live with what happened," Delhierro said. "Her lower extremities, there was no feeling. There was some feeling, but not that she would have felt it. And right now, we are in desperate need of help to bury her ... That's my first priority right now. I'm going to try to find a way to do something."
Vesco-Mock hopes people will come forward and adopt Najera's dogs - a 10-week old female blue heeler puppy; two male pugs, one about three years old and the other older; and four chihuahuas, three males and one female, all between six and seven pounds - just some of the 500 available on-site.
"They're friendly little dogs," Vesco-Mock said. "They were obviously socialized. I'm sure they could make someone a nice little pet."
Najera's injuries were almost certainly not caused by the dogs, who were quarantined as a precautionary measure by authorities. If any had showed aggression, they would have been euthanized, Vesco-Mock said.
"I don't think there's anything to worry about. But with all due respect, almost every chihuahua, at least at my house, all attacks us in bed if we mess up their sleep or they get in the pillowcases," Vesco-Mock said. "They might nip at your tootsies while you're moving around in the middle of the night, but not biting - playing. I personally would not be afraid to adopt any of these animals, bring them home with my 6-year-old and my 8-year-old child.
The Do a Ana Sheriff's Office said there was no indication Najera had abused, neglected or hoarded her animals.
Anyone wanting to make a donation to help Najera's family pay for her funeral and pets should contact DASO victims' advocates at (575) 525-1911. Adoption inquiries can be made by calling the shelter at (575) 382-0018 or visiting noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Ashley Meeks can be reached at (575) 541-5462
