Retrial Begins for Foster Mother in 2020 Infant Death Case

The Retrial of Mary Sifuentes Continues in Lubbock

The retrial of Mary Sifuentes, who is accused of aggravated assault of a household member in connection with the 2020 death of a 3-month-old baby boy, is ongoing at the Lubbock County Courthouse. This trial follows a mistrial in 2024 and marks the second attempt to determine her responsibility for the infant's death.

Day Two of the Trial

On day two, the trial began with a notable absence—the baby’s birth mother, who had been subpoenaed to testify, did not appear in court. The individual who issued the subpoena explained that he believed the mother was avoiding the trial. Despite this, several key witnesses took the stand, including two LPD corporals, two LPD officers, and a forensic pathologist.

The first corporal, who served as a field and training officer on December 16, 2020, provided testimony about his arrival at the scene and the photos he took inside and outside the house. Some of these images were presented in court, including a shot showing the baby bouncer located in the garage rather than its usual spot in the living room. Another photo captured the area near the refrigerator, where the toy car that Sifuentes previously claimed she tripped on was visible.

The second corporal, who works in the ID unit of the Lubbock Police Department, testified about evidence collection and analysis. He described taking photos of the house and the baby, Myles, after being allowed to do so. The bouncer and the onesie the baby was wearing were shown as evidence, with the bouncer displaying damage to the front wire.

The forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsies on the infant provided critical testimony. She identified the cause of death as battered infant and the manner of death as homicide. According to her, a battered infant typically involves multiple episodes of non-accidental trauma over time. Autopsy images were shown to the jury, highlighting multiple hemorrhages, skull fractures, and bruises in areas uncommon for infants to sustain on their own—particularly behind the ears. She emphasized that the extent of these injuries could not have occurred from a single fall.

Two LPD officers also testified. One was a backup officer tasked with clearing the scene, while the other was responsible for transporting Sifuentes to UMC. Their body camera and dash cam footage were shown to the jury, depicting Sifuentes in a state of distress, crying and struggling to breathe. During her arrival at the hospital, she recounted the incident, stating she had tripped on the tile in the kitchen but made no mention of the toy car, which she had previously mentioned in her testimony. She was also seen performing a shaking motion multiple times.

A nurse practitioner noted that, just hours after the incident, the injuries did not appear to be consistent with shaken baby syndrome but rather with choking or suffocation.

Day One of the Trial

The trial commenced on Tuesday, with day one featuring testimony from a Lubbock Police Department dispatch supervisor, an LPD officer who arrived on the scene, Sifuentes’ daughter-in-law, Trina, two on-scene paramedics, and a radiologist.

According to the defense, Sifuentes was fostering the infant and his brother at the time of the incident. She attempted to put the baby to sleep while his brother was already resting. As she was tending to him, she tripped, avoiding a nearby table but hitting the baby’s head on a bouncer. The baby died as a result of the injuries sustained that day.

The 911 call made by Sifuentes was played in court. At that time, she informed the dispatcher that the baby was in the bouncer and was not breathing, though his eyes were still open. Instructions for CPR were given, but Sifuentes repeatedly asked where the ambulance was before emergency services arrived.

Sifuentes’ daughter-in-law, Trina, testified next. She was contacted by CPS as a potential backup caregiver and described the infant as “different” due to his upbringing, noting that his cries were more like yells. She was on her way home from work when she encountered a man on a bicycle asking for help. She went to the house, unaware it was Sifuentes' residence, and attempted CPR on the baby before EMS took over.

Two paramedics also testified. One stated that the call initially came in for pediatric cardiac arrest and that she believed CPR was administered correctly. She recalled Sifuentes showing the bouncer to demonstrate the injury. She also noted that she had never seen a parent prevent medical personnel from treating a patient.

The responding LPD officer, who arrived two minutes after EMS, testified next. His body camera footage was shown to the jury, capturing Sifuentes demonstrating the shaking motion she performed immediately after realizing something was wrong.

The final witness on day one was the radiologist at UMC, who conducted x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans of the child. In his diagnosis, he determined the baby had non-accidental trauma and abusive head trauma. He pointed out a rare injury to the first rib, which he said would not typically occur from a simple fall. He also noted a specific skull fracture with no swelling, suggesting the injury may have occurred weeks prior.

Upcoming Proceedings

Day three of the trial is set to continue on Thursday morning, with further testimony expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.