Albuquerque Mother Accused of Apartment Fire with Children Inside

Yailasha Ann Denise Smith faces charges after allegedly trying to burn down her apartment with her two children present.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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An Albuquerque woman, Yailasha Ann Denise Smith, has been accused of attempting to burn down her apartment with her two young children inside. Police were called to the apartment complex after neighbors reported concerns about Smith's behavior and smelling smoke. Bodycam footage shows a bathtub on fire as officers searched the apartment. Both children were able to escape, but were taken to the hospital covered in an unknown liquid substance, later determined to be lighter fluid. Smith remains in jail until her trial, with a judge ruling she is potentially too dangerous to be released.

Why it matters

This incident raises serious concerns about child welfare and the need for better mental health support and intervention in cases where children may be at risk. It also highlights the challenges faced by authorities in responding to reports of concerning behavior and the importance of communication between different agencies tasked with protecting vulnerable individuals.

The details

According to the criminal complaint, police were called to Smith's apartment complex on February 7th after neighbors reported concerns about her behavior and smelling smoke. Bodycam footage shows a bathtub on fire as officers searched the apartment. Both of Smith's children were able to escape the apartment, but they had to be taken to the hospital as they were covered in an unknown liquid substance, later determined to be lighter fluid. Smith claimed she had accidentally spilled some lighter fluid while cooking. The godfather of one of the children, Daniel Tafoya, had previously reported concerns about Smith's mental health to both the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) and the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD), but says APD eventually told him to stop calling for welfare checks.

  • On February 7th, 2026, police were called to Smith's apartment complex after neighbors reported concerns about her behavior and smelling smoke.
  • On February 14th, 2026, a judge ruled that Smith will remain in jail until her trial, determining she is potentially too dangerous to be released.

The players

Yailasha Ann Denise Smith

An Albuquerque woman accused of attempting to burn down her apartment with her two young children inside.

Daniel Tafoya

The godfather of one of Smith's children, who had previously reported concerns about Smith's mental health to both the Albuquerque Police Department and the Children, Youth and Families Department.

Albuquerque Police Department (APD)

The local law enforcement agency that responded to multiple welfare checks at Smith's apartment, but eventually told Tafoya to stop calling.

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

The state agency that received three reports about Smith between February 5th and 7th, and responded to investigate, but the mother refused to cooperate.

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What they’re saying

“I thought I made it perfectly clear that she needs an evaluation mentally, you know, and that the kids could be in danger.”

— Daniel Tafoya, Godfather of one of the children (KOB 4)

“APD did threaten me, saying I would be arrested if I kept calling for welfare checks.”

— Daniel Tafoya, Godfather of one of the children (KOB 4)

“No matter what you're told, keep calling, keep fighting for yourself, keep fighting for you kids.”

— Daniel Tafoya, Godfather of one of the children (KOB 4)

What’s next

A judge will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Yailasha Ann Denise Smith to be released on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the critical need for better coordination and communication between law enforcement, child welfare agencies, and concerned community members to ensure the safety of vulnerable children. It also underscores the importance of providing timely mental health evaluations and support to parents who may be struggling, in order to prevent tragic incidents like this from occurring.