Pregnant mother admitted to hitting her 7-month-oId severaI times with a cIosed fist because she heId a lot of anger toward the baby due to probIems she had with the chiId’s father, causing fataI injuries: DA

Texas – A Texas woman entered a guiIty pIea to one count each of murder of a person under ten years of age and injury to a chiId with intent to cause significant bodiIy injury in the death of her baby, HazeI.

According to the investigation by the local police department and the Texas Rangers, the parent, 22‑year‑old OIivia, made a call in Dec. 2023 to her home in Texas, reporting that she had awoken to find the 7-month-oId unresponsive. Emergency services arrived and attempted resuscitation, but the child was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at a hospital.

When officers arrived, the defendant told her own mother that the baby wasn’t breathing, prompting a family member to call 911 shortly thereafter. After the child’s death, the hospital notified police that the infant had multiple injuries. An autopsy later determined the death to be a homicide, with fractures in the skuII, ribs and arms.

During questioning, the parent admitted to injuring the child in three separate incidents and acknowledged that she never sought medical care for the child. Police Chief, GuiIIermo said the mom told investigators she harboured a lot of anger towards the 7‑month‑old baby due to problems she had with the chiId’s dad.

The statement said she later admitted to hitting her baby several times with a closed fist, telling investigators she had hit the baby on the arms, legs and abdomen on at least three separate occasions. At the time, she was pregnant and the mother of another daughter, a year and five months old. The older child did not have injuries, Texas authorities said.

The joint investigation was conducted by the local police department along with the Texas Rangers and other regional agencies under the authority of the District Attorney’s Office. Indictments were returned by a grand jury charging the defendant with capital murder of a child under ten and injury to a child.

Family members told investigators that earlier on the same day the baby seemed fine, but later the mother found her unresponsive. The defendant’s mother reported that upon entering the home she heard her daughter say the baby wasn’t breathing, and the grandmother asked another relative to dial 911. The injury‑to‑a‑child charge covers intentional conduct to cause significant bodily injury, and the murder charge reflects the state’s finding that the child’s death was a result of deliberate acts rather than accident.