Inset: Celia Aurora Colby (Larkin Mortuary). Background: Murray Police Department in Utah (Facebook).
A Utah father, 42, is facing serious criminal allegations after prosecutors say his 6-month-old daughter died following a period in which she was left alone for 43 minutes in what authorities described as an unsafe basement area.
Neal English Colby was taken into custody and charged in the 2025 death of his infant daughter, Celia Aurora Colby. The charges include first-degree felony child abuse homicide and child endangerment resulting in death.
According to Salt Lake City ABC affiliate KTVX, officers from the Murray Police Department were called to Colby’s residence at about 9:46 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2025, after receiving a report that an infant was in “full arrest.” Colby allegedly met emergency crews outside the home and directed them to the basement, where the baby’s mother was performing CPR as Celia lay on a makeshift bed in the unfinished space, the station reported.
Investigators described the basement room as “very dirty with a lot of garbage and property around,” according to court documents cited by NBC affiliate KSL. Celia was rushed to a nearby hospital, but the infant reportedly died before arriving at the medical facility, the outlet reported.
Celia’s mother told police that she, the baby and her young son had all been battling the flu in the days surrounding the incident.
At approximately 2:30 a.m., she brought Celia downstairs to Colby so she could get some rest, investigators said. Although the couple had separated, they were still sharing the same home, with Colby living in the basement area.
Hours later, the mother said she woke to the sound of Colby screaming for her. When she rushed downstairs, she found him with their daughter in a distressing scene that led to the emergency call.
“[Celia] had red fluid coming out of her,” the affidavit said. “[The mother] stated she immediately began performing CPR and had to call 911 at the same time because Colby would not call.”
Colby gave investigators a different account. He said Celia drank a bottle and fell asleep after her mother brought her to him. He claimed he went upstairs and watched an hourlong YouTube video, then checked on her hourly until about 8:30 a.m., when he fell asleep in a chair.
He later said he had “wrapped a blanket around her tightly that stopped at her shoulder,” but claimed Celia had pulled it over her face.
Police said that Colby behaved strangely in the aftermath of the incident.
“Body cam footage from responding officers shows that [Colby] shows no remorse and is vaping when officers are not looking at him,” police wrote. “When officers make direct eye contact and speak with [him], he immediately begins wailing and howling, stating he doesn’t know what happened.”
He also allegedly said, “I feel so f—ing awful,” before adding, “I don’t know how it happened.”
Detectives found reddish fluid on the mattress, bottles of urine near the bed, animal waste, drug paraphernalia and several jars of THC wax in a cupboard containing baby food and other children’s items, according to KTVX.
Colby’s cellphone, which he had claimed was missing, was found in the couch where he had been sitting. Location data reportedly showed the phone left the residence at about 3:21 a.m.
“The location report shows that Colby left [Celia] alone without supervision and left the residence for 43 minutes,” court documents state. “GPS tracking shows that the area Colby’s phone remained is a known drug area for Murray police.”
An autopsy found bruising around Celia’s nostrils, right cheek and chin. The injuries were not fatal on their own, but reportedly presented “the possibility of airway obstruction by external forces.” The manner of death could not be determined.
A child abuse pediatrician who reviewed the case reportedly said there were “substantial concerns about the events that preceded [Celia’s] death, as well as the circumstances related to her death.”
The doctor said the basement was an unhealthy and dangerous environment for a developing child and raised particular concern about the injuries to Celia’s nostrils.
“The pattern of injury can be seen when a caregiver pinches the nose shut,” the pediatrician reportedly wrote. “It cannot be ruled out that her airway was manually obstructed by an adult.”
Celia’s obituary described her as having a “bright, energized spirit” and said she loved being outdoors, sitting on her parents’ laps, riding in her stroller and listening to the wind through the trees.
Colby was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail following his arrest and is being held without bail. Prosecutors have asked that he remain in custody pending trial.
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