Mattie Minnick, the 7-week-old infant girl who has been hospitalized since Jan. 16, died early Tuesday afternoon at El Paso Children’s Hospital.
Mattie’s parents, 19-year-olds Caricia Lorena Ceballos and Alton Minnick, are both charged with a first-degree felony count of child abuse resulting in death.
Las Cruces police investigators interviewed Ceballos on Friday, Jan. 19, and learned that she violently shook her 7-week-old daughter on Jan. 5 after the infant refused to feed. Investigators learned that Ceballos’ actions caused the infant’s head to go back and forth. Shortly after her daughter fell asleep, Ceballos allegedly pinched and poked her several times to see if she was still alive. Investigators learned that Ceballos did not seek medical attention for her daughter.
Investigators had previously learned that Ceballos went to the store at about 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 16 and left the infant in the care of Minnick, the child’s biological father. Investigators learned that while in the care of her father, the young child began crying so Minnick removed her from a bassinette and shook her back and forth.
Investigators learned that Minnick realized what he was doing and placed the baby back in the bassinette before leaving the room. At some point, Minnick returned to the child and found her unresponsive. Minnick indicated to investigators that he tried to rouse his daughter without success and discovered that she was not breathing. He also indicated that he began performing CPR but did not call 911. Sometime later, Ceballos returned home and called 911.
First responders performed CPR on the infant while she was taken to Memorial Medical Center. The infant was revived at MMC and transported to University Medical Center of El Paso.
Medical professionals at UMC informed investigators that the child was diagnosed with hemorrhaging in the brain, severe bilateral retinal hemorrhage in both eyes, global hypoxic brain injury and she was malnourished. Medical professionals also learned that the child had rib fractures that appeared to be two to three weeks old. The investigation is ongoing.
Minnick and Ceballos remain incarcerated at the Dona Ana County Detention Center.
Information from Las Cruces Police