A 2-month-old Baltimore girl died after suffering severe head and brain injuries, and her parents are now facing multiple criminal charges in connection with her death.
Katerin Monzon-Alvarado and Oscar Pineda, both 21, were arrested after their daughter, Aida Alvarado, died Wednesday at MedStar Harbor Hospital. Police said the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found evidence of trauma to the infant’s body, prompting homicide detectives to investigate.
The parents have each been charged with first- and second-degree child abuse, first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. Authorities have said additional homicide charges could be filed after the autopsy is completed.
According to charging documents discussed in court, the baby’s condition raised concerns after her mother brought her to the hospital when she became unresponsive. Medical personnel were unable to revive her.
An examination later found multiple skull fractures and serious injuries to the infant’s brain, including frontal lobe bleeding and a subdural hemorrhage.
Investigators were told different explanations for how the injuries occurred.
Prosecutors said the mother told investigators that her 2-year-old son frequently jumped on the bed and that the infant may have fallen onto the floor. The father, meanwhile, reportedly attributed his daughter’s injuries to what he described as a supernatural force involving Satan and a door.
Investigators also learned that the parents had noticed bruising on the baby several days before her death. According to the allegations presented in court, the infant began vomiting the following day, but medical treatment was not sought until she became unresponsive.
The case began unfolding at the family’s home in Baltimore’s Brooklyn neighborhood. Police went to the residence as part of the investigation after the infant’s death and subsequently interviewed both parents.
During Friday court proceedings, judges ordered the couple held without bail in separate appearances.
The mother’s public defender argued that she denies harming her daughter and pointed to investigators’ finding that the family’s home was orderly and showed no apparent signs of neglect. Prosecutors, however, argued that the severity and nature of the baby’s injuries were inconsistent with the explanation that she had suffered a single fall from a bed.
The court also heard that both defendants are Guatemalan nationals. Prosecutors argued they presented a significant flight risk.
The father had reportedly been living at the Baltimore residence for about a year after previously living in Glen Burnie. Court information indicates he worked as a plumber, while the mother worked at a restaurant.
The infant’s death has shocked people who live near the family’s home. One neighbor who said her children had played with the couple’s children described the news as heartbreaking and said she had not previously noticed anything that raised concerns about the family.
The investigation remains active, and the medical examiner’s final findings could affect the charges against the parents.
Both Monzon-Alvarado and Pineda are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in court.
