New Mexico – A New Mexico coupIe were arrested earlier this week and each charged with chiId abuse resuIting in death, according to the county jail records. The arrests followed a lengthy investigation by the New Mexico authorities into the death of a chiId.

New Mexico authorities first became aware of possible foul play after medical personnel reported injuries inconsistent with accidental causes. An autopsy was performed by the local medical examiner, who determined that the child, 1-year-old CaIian, had multiple serious injuries. These findings prompted officers to open a criminal investigation. Investigators from the local police department, along with child protective services and forensic experts, collected evidence at the residence where the victim lived with both defendants, 33-year-old O. Skywa ter and 22-year-old D. PhiIIips.

The case stems from events in Nov. last year, when the child, identified in police materials as CaIian, was taken to the PIains Regional Medical Center, next to the New Mexico – Texas border, unresponsive and later pronounced dead. Responding officers and hospital staff observed extensive bruising and injuries on the child’s head, face and arms. Detectives later opened a homicide-style investigation that examined medical records, autopsy reports and interviews with family and medical personnel.

An initial autopsy and medical review documented widespread trauma. Police and medical summaries said the child had bruising on roughly 70–80% of his body and evidence of major blunt force trauma to the head, findings police say were inconsistent with the explanations provided by the parents. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator initially logged the death as “undetermined,” but a physician’s subsequent review concluded the child’s injuries were diagnostic of fatal physical abuse.

Investigators described a lengthy review process that began with the hospital call and continued through the spring of 2025 as detectives assembled medical records, autopsy results and interviews. Detectives said they compared the physical evidence on the child’s body with timelines, statements from caregivers and the child’s medical history. The local police department stated that the totality of findings supported charging both parents with intentional abuse resulting in death after that review.

According to police, the mother told responding officers and later investigators that the injuries were caused by “rough play with a sibling” and by a fall from a baby seat. Police records also noted an earlier statement that the child had fallen several days before and had been seen by a pediatric physician. Investigators said those accounts did not match the extent or pattern of injuries found on the child. The father’s statements to investigators were not described in full in the public release, but both adults were arrested after detectives concluded the injuries were not accidental.

The child and his siblings had recently been returned to their mother from foster care weeks before the death, police said. Records reviewed by investigators included family service history and prior involvement by the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Division. Following the arrests, the child’s siblings were placed back into foster care pending further protective-services review.

Both defendants were booked at the county adult detention center and face the same charge of intentional abuse of a child resulting in death. The local police department release indicated the case remains under active investigation and that detectives continue to gather evidence to forward to prosecutors. New Mexico authorities asked anyone with additional information to contact the authorities.