A judge in El Paso County has expanded a protection order against Tammy Eddings-Dion, who is facing charges of child abuse and crimes against an at-risk juvenile after allegedly placing nicotine patches on her 4-year-old grandson in an attempt to “cure” his autism.
During a court hearing on Wednesday, the judge approved the prosecution’s request to prohibit Eddings-Dion from contacting the child’s mother, Kaylene Albuquerque, or her son while the case is ongoing.
Albuquerque explained why she felt compelled to speak out, saying her son can’t communicate how he feels due to his autism. She emphasized that her main goal is to advocate for him.
Although she feels some relief from the expanded protection order, Albuquerque shared how painful the situation is. She said Eddings-Dion had been a major part of her son’s life and that he still cries for her and her boyfriend, whom he can no longer see.
“It’s a relief that she can’t reach out anymore, but it’s also very saddening. My heart breaks for my son. He is my pride and joy. And when he hurts, I hurt,” said Albuquerque.
She also recalled the events leading up to the incident. She said she warned her manager days before that she feared the grandmother might place nicotine patches on her son. That fear became a reality when Eddings-Dion allegedly sent a message suggesting they use the patches “to cure his autism, to fix him.”
“There’s no fixing autism. That’s something he’s born with, something that can’t be cured,” Albuquerque said.
She rushed her son to the hospital after finding him ill with nicotine poisoning. Fortunately, he has made a full recovery.
Albuquerque said her son doesn’t need to be fixed—he’s already perfect.
“He’s so sweet, so kind, so caring. He’s happy all the time and cares when others are hurt,” she said. “It breaks my heart that someone so empathetic could go through something like this, especially at the hands of someone we trusted. Sometimes, the people closest to you are the ones you can’t trust the most.”
Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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