Colorado Springs parents face new charges for child overdose, separate from baby dying in their care

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- After their 14-month-old baby died at their home, two Colorado Springs parents are now facing new charges for providing fentanyl to a 13-year-old, causing her to overdose twice after the baby's death.

In those overdoses, that child survived.

Despite their child, Cario Astacio, dying in their care in November of 2021, 29-year-old Kira Villalba and 36-year-old Joenny Astacio weren't arrested until June of 2022.

In both December 2021 and February 2022, Colorado Springs Police detectives believe Astacio and Villalba provided blue M30 pills containing fentanyl to a 13-year-old girl. It's unclear what her relationship is with the couple, but she overdosed on both occasions.

In December, CSPD detectives provided the child with Narcan. In February, friends provided her with the same medication. Both times, she was treated at Children's Hospital Colorado and survived.

The pair faced serious child abuse and drug charges in the death of their infant son as of June 11, 2022, but were also charged on July 18, 2022, for the two overdoses of the 13-year-old.

They now face additional drug and child abuse charges, as well as two counts each of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Astacio faces additional charges for drug possession and resisting arrest from the same day he was taken into custody for the death of his infant son.

Colorado Springs criminal defense attorney Jeremy Loew said the pair could face serious consequences if convicted on all the counts they currently face. If the sentences are stacked up, they could be sentenced to more than 100 years in prison.

The two will be in court on all of their charges next Wednesday.