A Utah couple has pleaded guilty to child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse in connection with the March 2025 death of their 18-month-old daughter.
Mitchell Chesnut Murray, 31, and Carrie Marie Murray, 32, entered the guilty pleas on July 2. Prosecutors dropped original charges of aggravated murder against the couple as part of a plea agreement.
According to court documents, Carrie Murray, who worked as a nurse, called emergency services on March 19, 2025, to report that her daughter, Ruby Marie Murray, was “deceased in her crib.” Authorities stated that she informed dispatch she was a nurse and believed the child to be “beyond help,” refusing to perform life-saving first aid measures on the toddler.
During subsequent police interviews, Carrie Murray claimed the death was caused by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Investigators stated she told them, “It was her time I guess,” and said, “I feel guilt really strong — I feel no guilt over this.”
An investigation by the Cache County Sheriff’s Office uncovered the conditions inside the family’s Nibley home. Investigators reported finding Ruby’s crib filled with old food scraps and noted that the child had been confined to the crib for days at a time.
Mitchell Murray referred to these periods as “crib days,” explaining to police that the child remained in her crib all day while he worked and played games on his computer. Police also stated that the toddler’s diapers were rarely changed, and loud rock music from bands like Green Day and Fall Out Boy was used to disrupt her sleep. Additionally, a space heater running at excessive temperatures was placed next to the crib.
Security camera and baby monitor footage reviewed by detectives revealed that Ruby was allowed outside of her crib for a total of six hours and 15 minutes during the final four days of her life. The footage showed that another person was identified as present in the room with the child for a total of 49 minutes and 15 seconds during that same four-day period.
On the day before her death, total interaction with the child lasted only 49 seconds, and her diaper was not changed. Investigators noted that video from the child’s final night captured her “crying, whimpering and gasping” inside a bedroom that was significantly hotter than the rest of the residence.
The medical examiner determined that Ruby died from complications arising from malnutrition and dehydration. The autopsy report concluded that the parents had “inappropriately exposed Ruby to excessive heat, darkness, confinement, and sleep deprivation.”
According to her online obituary, Ruby was described as “a sweet and curious little one, whose laughter and smile lit up every room.” The text also noted that the Green Day song “Wake Me Up When September Ends” was her favorite lullaby.
Mitchell and Carrie Murray were arrested in December following the multi-month investigation. They remain in custody and are scheduled for sentencing on September 11. Each parent faces a prison term of one to 15 years for each of the two counts.
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