Olivia Munoz, 22, from Mathis, Texas, received two life sentences in prison after pleading guilty in October 2025 to murdering her 7-month-old daughter, Hazel Munoz, and injuring her with intent to cause serious bodily harm. The plea deal predetermined the life terms, and she was transferred to Texas Department of Criminal Justice custody shortly after. This stemmed from events on December 19, 2023, when Hazel was found unresponsive at their home on South Marigold Street.
Incident Details
- Discovery and Response: Around 6:30 a.m., family called 911 after Munoz found Hazel not breathing. Police and EMS arrived; CPR failed, and Hazel was pronounced dead at ER 24/7 Northwest in Corpus Christi (about 22 miles away).
- Hospital Findings: Staff noted extensive injuries, prompting police questioning. Munoz admitted to three separate abuse incidents without seeking medical help.
- Family Context: Munoz was pregnant at the time and had another daughter (1 year, 5 months old) with no injuries. All three children shared the same father.
Investigation and Charges
- Initial Arrest (Dec. 20, 2023): Charged with two counts of injury to a child based on two admitted incidents.
- Autopsy Results (Jan. 2024): Revealed fractures in Hazel’s arms, ribs, and skull, ruling the death a homicide. Charges upgraded to murder.
- Munoz’s Admissions: She confessed anger toward Hazel due to issues with the father, per Mathis Police Chief Guillermo “Willie” Figueroa.
- Indictment (March 2024): Three charges in 343rd District Court—two counts capital murder, one first-degree injury to a child. Texas Rangers assisted; psychiatric eval and insanity motion filed (sealed results in Sept. 2024).
Plea and Sentencing
In a mid-October deal, prosecutors dropped one murder count and reduced capital murder to standard murder. Munoz pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2024 (note: article says October, likely 2024 based on timeline), locking in life without parole. San Patricio County handled the case.
This tragedy highlights patterns in child abuse cases, where repeated injuries often go unreported until fatal. Texas law mandates life sentences for murdering a child under 10, reflecting strict protections under Penal Code §19.03. Similar cases, like those tracked by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, show pleas common to avoid death penalty risks.
