Newly released documents provide more details in the death of 18-month-old Arabella Sanchez.
Chasity Herrera, 19, was arrested last week and charged with Murder and Felony Injury to a Child by Omission.
The Nueces County Medical Examiner’s preliminary report ruled Arabella’s death a homicide.
The report states that Arabella had a broken right tibia, bruising to her liver and several organs, as well as a bruised heart and petechiae to the heart caused from shock. The affidavit also states that Arabella’s scalp was completely bruised, with bleeding under her scalp and brain, and she had several skull fractures that wrapped from the back of her head to her right temple side. She also had hemorrhaging to her eyes.
The medical examiner’s report states that injuries were caused by blunt force trauma, as if Arabella was slammed against something three or four times, and did not appear to be continuous abuse.
On December 15, at 3:48 p.m. Robstown EMS and Robstown Police were called out to Herrera’s apartment on a call of an 18-month-old child unresponsive and not breathing.
When officers entered Herrera’s apartment, they found Herrera sitting on the sofa, holding Arabella, and yelling that she wasn’t breathing.
Officers began chest compressions, and when EMS arrived, Arabella was transported to Northwest Regional Hospital in Calallen.
Arabella was pronounced dead at 4:10 p.m.
Officers reported seeing redness and swelling around Arabella’s eyes and nose, and what appeared to be dried vomit under her mouth an on her shirt.
The apartment was secured as a crime scene, and processed for evidence.
Officers reported smelling burnt marijuana and recovered burnt marijuana cigarettes, paraphernalia, and prescription medication at the scene.
According to the report, Herrera told officers that she had been home with Arabella most of the day, and had put her down for bed around 10 p.m.
Herrera then, herself, took prescription medication to go to sleep.
The report states that Herrera saw Arabella asleep in her room at 5 a.m. and again at 1 p.m.
A short time later, when Arabella’s grandmother arrived, Herrera went in to get Arabella dressed. She found her in bed and her body cold.
Herrera asked her mother to call an ambulance.
The report states that Herrera left Arabella unattended for about 17 hours without adult supervision, and that she admitted that she had ordered and smoked marijuana the day before, and took a prescription sleep medication.
Herrera is being held in Nueces County Jail on $750,000 bond.
