22-year-old Christopher Raines Arrested after he fatally shot his 9 month old daughter in the head

Father Arrested In Baby's Death
Police Say Man Deliberately Shot Baby After Dispute With Mother

POSTED: 9:16 am MST December 2, 2009
UPDATED: 1:22 pm MST December 2, 2009

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A father is behind bars after police say he fatally shot his 9-month-old daughter in the head.

Police arrested 22-year-old Christopher Raines late Tuesday night. When asked by a reporter, "Was it worth it?" Raines shook his head no.

"Was it worth it?" is the phrase police said the man used when speaking to his baby's mother after he shot his infant in the head at a northwest Albuquerque home.

Officers said he got into an argument with the baby's mother, with whom he'd had a 2-year relationship. The pair had apparently been text messaging back and forth all day.

Raines told investigators the mother, 18-year-old Ashley Trujillo, had recently told him she no longer wanted a relationship with him. He said he believed she was seeing another man.

"He grabbed his daughter, his 9-month-old daughter, he armed himself with a .45-caliber gun. He put it to the baby's head and he fired a shot into that child's head," said Nadine Hamby, spokeswoman for the Albuquerque Police Department."This individual decided to take his own child's life just to spite the mother of his baby."

Trujillo told police it wasn't the first time Raines had pointed a gun at the infant. Police said there was no record of domestic violence between the couple.

Now, neighbors are trying to cope with the news.

A close friend of the family said he doesn't know what to make of the shooting.

"I just feel sick to my stomach. You know, I didn't see it coming. I trusted this guy. You know, I didn't know he's that kind of guy. He loved that baby," said Jeffrey Martin.

"An innocent child taken, shot like that," said Cathy Salazar, another family friend. It's sad. A baby is given to us as a blessing, the child never had a chance to live their life."

Please see arrest video and read comments here:

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Everyday there is another story of a young parent killing their babies. because I don't know how to stop this madness. Being here on VH and crime blogging for the past year has opened my eyes to the evil in this world. All I do is worry to death about my Grandkids and the danger they might be in.

what shocks me is that this was not the first time he pointed a gun at the baby. Dear Lord. What is with people?

Sick cowards that pick on little children and babies. I just get so mad. Katie's Dad is pretty unstable to and I so worry about him losing it and doing something to her or the new one on the way. Sassy and him argue through text messages too so when I read this it really hit home for me. Of course people think I am paranoid and over reacting but it is because my eyes are wide open not because I am paranoid.

"I just feel sick to my stomach. You know, I didn't see it coming. I trusted this guy. You know, I didn't know he's that kind of guy. He loved that baby," said Jeffrey Martin.

NO, he didn't love that baby. What a stupid statement. You don't kill someone that you 'love'.

Surveillance video shows a scuffle involving Christopher Rains Wednesday.
The man accused of shooting his own nine-month-old baby in the head was himself a victim of an attack during his initial court appearance Wednesday.

Christopher Rains, 22, is charged with intentional child abuse resulting death for the shooting Tuesday afternoon following an argument with the baby's mother.

Because he is accused of killing his own baby daughter, inmates see Rains as a target. That could explain what happened Wednesday at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

During a 1 p.m. arraignment Rains was attacked by another inmate, Eric Salazar. The incident was captured on surveillance video.

No one was hurt in the incident.

Jail officials say Rains is now on a suicide watch and will be separated form the rest of the jail population while behind bars.

Salazar, who was charged Tuesday after being caught with a shank inside the jail, now faces a new charge of assault.



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oh no LM we should never worry if our own babies (which i know Katie and baby to come are to you) are safe with their own parents

These sick parents try to say they love their children but with BJ. That is not love.

I lived in Albuquerque and I sure hope they have stepped up to the plate on the majority of their laws and the court system in NM in general.

This crime is horrific and yep, I thought the same thing. This man did NOT love his baby!!

Linda Marie, you are worrying me!!

lindamarie wrote:Sick cowards that pick on little children and babies. I just get so mad. Katie's Dad is pretty unstable to and I so worry about him losing it and doing something to her or the new one on the way. Sassy and him argue through text messages too so when I read this it really hit home for me. Of course people think I am paranoid and over reacting but it is because my eyes are wide open not because I am paranoid.

I agree, anyone who says you are paranoid should look up the definition......keep your eyes wide open and don't be afraid to let them know your feelings. Wish you didn't have this worry, maybe an angry management course is in order along with parenting and relationship courses.

we have to be paranoid for our kids! i always ask my girls a million questions when i pick them up after my family or friends babysit them!

Raines hated by inmates.

Video:

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I bet Raines is hated. I know how I feel about him.

lindamarie wrote:I bet Raines is hated. I know how I feel about him.

Linda - I don't even think he will have time to get here:

The inmates need a word with him first:

Ashley Trujillo said she's trying to stay strong and find forgiveness after the shooting death of her baby daughter.
The baby's father, 22-year-old Christopher Rains, was charged with shooting and killing their 9-month-old girl.
Trujillo is going through a very tough time. She said she's asking the public to pray for her and her family and this mother hopes others can learn from this tragic situation.
"It's hard as a mother. You want to be with your child," Trujillo said. "You want to make sure they're OK."
Trujillo said she still can't believe her 9-month-old daughter, Trinity, is gone.
"You go through many emotions, numbness, shock, depression," said Trujillo.
She said she's trying not to dwell on how her child died.
"She loved paddy cake and the ABCs. She was very advanced. She was already trying to walk," said Trujillo.
Trinity's father is accused of putting a gun to her head and pulling the trigger.
He told police he killed the baby because he didn't want Trujillo to end their relationship.
"As a father he was always there," said Trujillo.
Trujillo said she hasn't talked to Rains since his arrest and doesn't want to, but said she's trying to find forgiveness.
"We as people cannot judge other people," said Trujillo. "We make mistakes too."
According to police, Rains admitted to threatening the child in the past. Trujillo said she regrets not doing anything about it.
"Get help right away, as soon as you can. There's more than one way out other than trying to go through it by yourself," said Trujillo.
Trujillo spoke out against domestic violence and plans to reach out to other victims.
"With anyone going through it, I hope they find help before it's too late," said Trujillo.
Rains was charged with child abuse resulting in death. He could face a life sentence if convicted.

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Why does she want to forgive him. You don't forgive someone that has killed your child!

The Albuquerque man accused of shooting and killing his 9-month-old baby in the head was due in court today, but he has waived his arraignment.

He is being held on a $500,000 cash only bond.

Albuquerque police say Christopher Rains killed his daughter during an argument with the baby's mother earlier this month.

Rains will be arraigned in court Monday morning, charged with murdering Trinity Rains, his 9-month-old daughter on December 1.

Rains faces life in prison if convicted.

There is no word on when he will next appear in court.

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I think there must be DRUGS involved in many of these situations! Something is changing the ability of people to control their thought processing.
People who are out of control and threaten others or have violent out bursts and actually assault others need to be locked up and evaluated. NOT JUST emotional eval, but a thorough physical evaluation.

Why did the mother let him around the baby again after he had held a gun to the baby's head? I am having a hard time getting around that. Marica has a point about drugs being involved. If the mother is an addict, she would allow anyone around her if they could get her high, kind of like Shaniyah's mom did.

BJ wrote:Ashley Trujillo said she's trying to stay strong and find forgiveness after the shooting death of her baby daughter.
The baby's father, 22-year-old Christopher Rains, was charged with shooting and killing their 9-month-old girl.
Trujillo is going through a very tough time. She said she's asking the public to pray for her and her family and this mother hopes others can learn from this tragic situation.
"It's hard as a mother. You want to be with your child," Trujillo said. "You want to make sure they're OK."
Trujillo said she still can't believe her 9-month-old daughter, Trinity, is gone.
"You go through many emotions, numbness, shock, depression," said Trujillo.
She said she's trying not to dwell on how her child died.
"She loved paddy cake and the ABCs. She was very advanced. She was already trying to walk," said Trujillo.
Trinity's father is accused of putting a gun to her head and pulling the trigger.
He told police he killed the baby because he didn't want Trujillo to end their relationship.
"As a father he was always there," said Trujillo.
Trujillo said she hasn't talked to Rains since his arrest and doesn't want to, but said she's trying to find forgiveness.
"We as people cannot judge other people," said Trujillo. "We make mistakes too."
According to police, Rains admitted to threatening the child in the past. Trujillo said she regrets not doing anything about it.
"Get help right away, as soon as you can. There's more than one way out other than trying to go through it by yourself," said Trujillo.
Trujillo spoke out against domestic violence and plans to reach out to other victims.
"With anyone going through it, I hope they find help before it's too late," said Trujillo.
Rains was charged with child abuse resulting in death. He could face a life sentence if convicted.

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Why does she want to forgive him. You don't forgive someone that has killed your child!

BBM

MISTAKES? Yes we all make mistakes but shooting a 9 month old child in the head is hardly a mistake!!
Especially since he had the gun and the baby in the same proximity at least once before.

She should have fled after the first incident. You better believe the first gun incident was not the one and only "mistake" in that household. I am guessing domestic violence for starters. It scares me she says the father "was always there". Like being there makes a good father. Wake up, mothers, a dad's job is to protect and provide for their children. Frightens me that women might actually think a dads being around makes him a good dad.

IMO he looks like a creep.

HippieChick

hippie chick said Frightens me that women might actually think a dads being around makes him a good dad.