A Mexicali judge formally charged a woman identified as María José with evidence tampering on April 13, moving forward the case tied to a fatal dog attack that killed an 84-year-old retired nurse in August 2024.
Prosecutors told the court that María José surrendered four dogs to Mexicali’s municipal animal control center the day after a pack of dogs mauled and killed Amparo Romero Gálvez. She allegedly gave a false address and paid for the animals to be euthanized, destroying key evidence in the case.
Judge Finds Sufficient Grounds to Proceed
The judge ruled that state prosecutors presented enough evidence to bind María José over for trial on the tampering charge. Two teenagers, including her 13-year-old son, are also being processed through Baja California’s juvenile justice system on the same charge.
A separate harassment charge against María José is scheduled for a hearing on May 8. That charge stems from an alleged social media defamation campaign targeting the victim’s daughter, Ana Lidia Soto.
Victim’s Daughter Drove Landmark State Law
Soto founded the Justicia para Amparito collective after her mother’s death. The group lobbied Baja California’s state legislature to reform the penal code, and the resulting law, known as Ley Amparito, took effect in August 2025. It imposes prison sentences of four to eight years on negligent dog owners whose animals attack or kill a person.
Before Ley Amparito, Baja California had no specific criminal penalty targeting dog owners for fatal attacks. The reform applies statewide, covering communities from Tijuana and Ensenada to Mexicali and Tecate.
Prosecutors Pursuing Full Chain of Responsibility
The evidence tampering charge against María José marks the first major step toward legal accountability beyond the dogs’ owners themselves. Prosecutors are pursuing individuals accused of helping conceal evidence after the attack, broadening the scope of the case.
Romero Gálvez, a retired nurse, was 84 years old when the pack of dogs attacked her in Mexicali. Her death drew widespread attention across Baja California and fueled public calls for stricter animal control enforcement in the state’s urban areas.
The case was first reported by Punto Norte.