An 18-month-old Utah girl died after investigators found she had been left for long periods in her crib with inadequate food, water and care. Her parents have now been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from her death.
Mitchell Chesnut Murray and Carrie Marie Murray, both 32, were each sentenced to two consecutive prison terms of one to 15 years for child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse. Because the sentences will run consecutively, each parent could spend as much as 30 years in prison. They were also given credit for the 283 days they had already spent in custody.
The couple’s daughter, Ruby Marie Murray, died on March 19, 2025, at the family’s home in Nibley, in Cache County. Investigators determined that she died from complications related to malnutrition and dehydration.
The case began with an emergency call after Carrie Murray found Ruby unresponsive in her crib. According to court documents, Murray told the dispatcher she was a nurse and believed her daughter was already beyond help.
Investigators later reconstructed Ruby’s final days using baby-monitor and surveillance footage. The findings showed that the toddler spent most of her time confined to her crib.
Over the four days before her death, Ruby was outside the crib for only a little more than six hours. Investigators calculated that another person was physically present with her for a total of about 49 minutes and 15 seconds during that period.
One day stood out in particular. On March 18, the day before Ruby died, investigators said she was never removed from her crib. The total interaction involving Ruby that day was just 49 seconds, and her diaper was not changed.
Her father told investigators that the family sometimes had what he called “crib days,” when Ruby remained in the crib while he worked from home. He said this happened once or twice a week.
The investigation also raised concerns about Ruby’s nutrition and living conditions. Court records said she was commonly given waffles and drinks rather than a broader diet appropriate for a growing toddler. Investigators described the crib as dirty, with old food and trash around and underneath the mattress.
Ruby weighed about 17 pounds when she died. Investigators also reported that a space heater had made her bedroom noticeably warmer than other parts of the home.
The footage reviewed by detectives showed that Ruby was sometimes left alone even when she was outside her crib. Investigators also said she displayed abnormal sleep patterns in the days before her death and was heard crying, whimpering and gasping during the early hours of March 19.
The parents initially faced aggravated murder charges. In July 2026, however, both pleaded guilty to reduced charges of child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse, allowing the case to proceed to sentencing rather than a murder trial.
During sentencing, the judge criticized the level of attention Ruby received and emphasized the seriousness of the child’s death. Both parents apologized in court and acknowledged that they had failed their daughter.
In a letter filed before sentencing, Carrie Murray said she was deeply sorry for Ruby’s death and described the loss as something she would live with for the rest of her life. She said she had hoped and planned for a future with her daughter that would never happen.
Family members and friends also submitted letters asking the court to consider the parents beyond the circumstances surrounding Ruby’s death. Some described them as caring family members and asked the court to consider the impact of the sentences on their surviving child.
The court ultimately ordered the consecutive prison terms and placed both parents on Utah’s child abuse registry. Their sentences mark the latest development in a case that began with the death of a toddler and an investigation into how she spent the final days of her short life.
