Left: Sidney Whitt. Center: Jacqulun Morales. Right: Shelby Munoz (Smith County Sheriff’s Office).
Authorities in Texas say two mothers left three young children — ages 6, 4, and 2 months — locked inside a bedroom while they went to a hotel to party, ending in a violent incident that left the infant with severe head trauma.
Sidney Whitt, 21, and Jacqulun Morales, 29, allegedly put the children under the supervision of Morales’ 18-year-old sister, Shelby Munoz, before leaving to drink alcohol and use drugs with a man at a local hotel, according to local ABC affiliate KLTV and local CBS affiliate KYTX.
In a police press release obtained by the stations, investigators said the older children tossed the baby around and stomped on the infant’s head. The 2-month-old later began having seizures and was found to have a brain bleed, while doctors also documented extensive bruising to the child’s face after the baby was taken to a local hospital.
KLTV reported that the infant was placed in a medically induced coma following hospitalization.
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation after Child Protective Services and hospital staff contacted law enforcement on June 18.
Munoz allegedly told detectives what had taken place and claimed she did not step in because the children “were not hers” and she did not think she was responsible for their safety, according to KLTV. Police also said Whitt and Morales returned home to find the baby gravely injured but did not seek medical care until the next day.
Investigators later searched the home where the injuries allegedly occurred and “discovered that the home lacked air conditioning and was infested with flies,” according to the police press release. “The floor was heavily littered with rat feces, diapers, and clothing,” the release stated.
Munoz and Morales were arrested last Tuesday, while Whitt was arrested on Thursday. The trio was charged with child endangerment and injury to a child. They were each being held on a $250,000 bond for each charge.
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office told KLTV that the infant was on a ventilator and remained in a medically induced coma as of Friday.
