Richardson deaf couple faces charges after five-month-old dies

Richardson couple faces charges after five-month-old dies

By: Mark Norris

April 30, 2013

Two Richardson parents face charges after their five-month-old child was found unresponsive and later died.

Maria Zuniga, 37, has been charged with injury to a child and Hector Cupich-Quinones, 35, has been charged with capital murder. Both the mother and father are deaf.

Richardson police responded to a report Sunday morning around 5:30 a.m. of an unresponsive infant. Officers on the scene noticed “suspicious bruising” while attempting CPR.

The child was transported to Medical City Dallas, but died late Sunday night. Hospital staff told police they believed the infant girl was a victim of abuse.

The father originally told police the baby had fallen, according to the arrest warrant, but then admitted to a night of drinking on Saturday with his wife.

The two got in an argument over the infant’s crying and being upset. When the child would not settle down, the father became frustrated and harmed the child according to the warrant.

Cupich-Quinones told police he shook the infant, hit the back of the infant’s head on the counter multiple times and slid the infant across the counter. The infant slid off the counter and landed on the tile floor.

After this, the father left the infant with Zuniga, who put the child to bed around 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Around 3:30 a.m., the couple woke up and argued for about two hours over who was to blame for hurting the child before police were finally called at 5:30 a.m.

Both parents remain in custody at Richardson City Jail.

SOURCE: (video and picture)

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/22119692/richardson-couple-faces-charges-after-five-month-old-dies

UPDATED: (more details)

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/04/parents-of-5-month-old-richardson-girl-charged-in-her-death.html

Note: Richardson, Texas = Near Dallas, Texas

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