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Family prepares to lay Jessell Lopez to rest

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Posted at 4:33 PM, May 24, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-24 17:33:34-04

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Jessell Lopez, the one-year-old little girl found unresponsive and later passed away, will be laid to rest Wednesday.

On Monday, Jessell's father, Jesse Lopez IV, shared video and pictures on Facebook of the casket his daughter will be buried in.

The casket was painted by the Leal Brothers Paint and Body Shop. The casket is painted in pink glitter and includes pictures of Jessell, Jessell with her parents, and Jessell's brother. On the top of the casket is a photo of Jessell with a pony and inside, a picture of Jessell with her father and brother.

According to Jessell's father, services for Jessell will begin on Tuesday at Corpus Christi Funeral Home. There will be a public viewing from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. and a Rosary will be held at 7 p.m..

On Wednesday, the family will head to Saint Joseph Church between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.. Following the church service, Jessell will be buried at Rose Hill Cemetery.

Jessell's father took to social media to thank everyone who made the burial services possible. He said he wanted to give her a princess goodbye.

According to the Corpus Christi Police Department, Jessell's death was not accidental. On Monday, May 10, 2021, she was found unconscious in a unit at the Latitude Apartments on Weber and Saratoga.

Paramedics had to perform CPR on her to help resuscitate her and then rushed her to the hospital.

Later that day Jessell's mother's boyfriend, Mark Anthony Hernandez, 31, was arrested and charged with Injury to a Child and his bond was set at $30,000.

Sadly, on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, Jessell passed away. Detectives with the Corpus Christi Police Department's Family Violence Unit secured a warrant for Capital Murder and served it to Mark Anthony Hernandez in the Nueces County Jail.

"There were enough injuries there to determine something happened. It was determined it wasn't an accident. The injuries were consistent with this not being an accident," said Senior Officer Travis Pace.

On Thursday, May 13, 2021, Our cameras were rollingwhen Hernandez appeared before jail Magistrate Melissa Madrigal where his charges were officially upgraded to Capital Murder and a bond was set at $1 million.

He remains in the Nueces County Jail.