REMEMBERING NEVEAH

Neveah Janey Gallegos was three years old when she died.

Her grandmother, Janet Gallegos, remembered Neveah as a happy and healthy little girl. Years after her death, Janet still described her granddaughter as her joy.

Neveah was surrounded by extended family who loved her, and after her death her grandmother became one of the strongest voices demanding accountability for what had happened to her.

Neveah was only three.

She should have been growing into her personality, learning new things and experiencing the ordinary excitement that comes with being a little girl.

Instead, much of what survives publicly about Neveah concerns the adults who failed her.

Her life deserves to remain at the center of her story.

NEVEAH’S STORY

Before Neveah died, there had already been serious concerns about Angel Ray Montoya, her mother Miriam Gallegos’s boyfriend.

Montoya was a registered sex offender and had a previous child abuse conviction.

In 2006, when Neveah was not yet two years old, authorities investigated allegations that Montoya had sexually assaulted her.

Neveah had been taken for medical treatment after concerning bleeding was discovered.

Denver child protection authorities became involved.

The investigation ultimately did not result in criminal charges against Montoya, and child protection authorities later closed their case.

Miriam knew about the allegations involving her daughter and knew about Montoya’s history.

She nevertheless continued her relationship with him.

On September 21, 2007, Miriam left Neveah in Montoya’s care while she went to work.

Later that day, Montoya called Miriam and told her there was an emergency and that she needed to come home.

When Miriam arrived, Neveah was not breathing.

No ambulance was called.

Instead of immediately contacting authorities and seeking help for her daughter, Miriam joined Montoya in concealing what had happened.

Neveah’s body was placed inside plastic bags and then into a duffel bag.

Montoya removed her body from the apartment.

Miriam then reported her daughter kidnapped.

She told police that she had been walking with Neveah when a stranger jumped from a vehicle, grabbed the little girl and drove away.

Police launched a search for a supposedly abducted three year old.

The story quickly began falling apart.

Evidence inside the apartment raised investigators’ suspicions, and witnesses contradicted parts of Miriam’s account.

Miriam eventually admitted that there had been no kidnapping.

Neveah was already dead.

For three days, police officers and members of the community searched for her.

On September 24, Neveah’s body was discovered concealed beneath debris in a ravine near Lakewood Dry Gulch.

The investigation established that Neveah had suffered extensive injuries before her death.

Prosecutors ultimately proved that Montoya killed her by strangulation while she was alone in his care.

Neveah was three years old.

SYSTEM FAILURES & WARNING SIGNS

Neveah’s death was preceded by warnings that were both serious and specific.

Angel Montoya was already a registered sex offender.

He had previously been accused of harming another child and had a prior child abuse conviction.

Most importantly, authorities had already investigated allegations that Montoya sexually assaulted Neveah herself.

Denver Human Services knew about those allegations.

Police knew about them.

Child protection workers investigated.

But the medical findings were considered inconclusive, investigators were unable to interview Montoya during portions of the investigation, and the allegations were ultimately classified as unfounded.

The child protection case was closed approximately nine months before Neveah died.

Miriam also knew about the danger.

Her own mother, Janet, was deeply concerned about Montoya being around Neveah.

Miriam had promised her mother that she would not leave Neveah alone with him.

On September 21, 2007, she did.

Neveah died while Montoya was caring for her.

After Neveah’s death, the Colorado Department of Human Services reviewed Denver’s handling of her case.

Her death became part of a broader examination of Denver’s child welfare system and contributed to changes intended to improve investigations, supervision and decision making in child protection cases.

Neveah’s case was especially devastating because the danger was not discovered only after she died.

There had already been an allegation that the same man who ultimately murdered her had sexually abused her.

Adults knew about his history.

Her grandmother was worried.

Child protection authorities had been involved.

The case was closed.

Neveah remained within his reach.

JUSTICE FOR NEVEAH

Justice for Neveah took years.

Miriam Gallegos initially participated in concealing Neveah’s death and fabricated the kidnapping story that sent police and members of the community searching for a child who was already dead.

She was eventually indicted in connection with her daughter’s death.

Miriam pleaded guilty to child abuse resulting in death.

In January 2011, she was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Angel Montoya’s prosecution took longer.

His first murder trial ended in a mistrial.

At his second trial in 2012, prosecutors established that Montoya had strangled Neveah while caring for her.

A Denver jury found him guilty of first degree murder, child abuse resulting in death and abuse of a corpse.

He received a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder, along with additional concurrent sentences.

Montoya appealed.

In 2015, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed his convictions.

Angel Ray Montoya

Relationship to Neveah: Mother’s Boyfriend

Conviction(s): First degree murder; child abuse resulting in death; abuse of a corpse

Sentence: Life in prison without the possibility of parole; 48 years for child abuse resulting in death; 12 months for abuse of a corpse, served concurrently

Miriam Gallegos

Relationship to Neveah: Mother

Conviction(s): Child abuse resulting in death

Sentence: 12 years in prison

FOREVER REMEMBERED

Neveah’s disappearance brought strangers into the search for her.

People looked through neighborhoods, alleys and surrounding areas hoping to find a missing three year old and return her safely to her family.

When the truth emerged, that hope became grief.

A candlelight vigil was held after Neveah was found.

Flowers and stuffed animals were placed near the ravine.

A permanent memorial was later dedicated to her.

Years afterward, her family continued gathering to celebrate Neveah’s life.

Her grandmother never stopped speaking her name.

The criminal cases eventually ended with convictions.

The child welfare system examined what had gone wrong.

Policies and practices were reviewed.

But none of that could restore the little girl at the center of everything.

Neveah should not be remembered primarily as the child whose disappearance began with a false kidnapping report.

She should not be defined by the ravine where her body was eventually found.

She was Janet’s joy.

She was a three year old little girl whose family should have been watching her grow.

Neveah had already survived circumstances that should have caused the adults around her to become more protective of her, not less.

She deserved to be believed.

She deserved to be kept away from someone known to present a danger to children.

She deserved adults who placed her safety above everything else.

And she deserved far more than three years.

Abuse Angels remembers Neveah Janey Gallegos.

Remembered. Honored. Never Forgotten.