Moroni mother pleads guilty to killing 2-year-old daughter through abuse
By Emily Ashcraft
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MANTI, Utah (KSL) — A Moroni woman has admitted to abusing and killing her 2-year-old daughter.
Anyi Nicol Canales Cruz, 22, pleaded guilty to the charges filed against her — child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony, and child abuse, a third-degree felony.
Cruz’s daughter, Litzy, was taken to a hospital in December 2022 and was pronounced dead a short time later. Investigators said they believe the child was physically abused; they say an X-ray showed Litzy had broken ribs, a large number of bruises, a cut under her chin and small cuts around her body.
After looking at the number of medications in the family home, investigators also believed the child was given a significant amount of child and adult medications which may have contributed to the death.
Charging documents said Cruz caused the death of the girl by child abuse, on Dec. 29, 2022, and on that same day she inflicted injury on a child she was caring for.
Cruz will be sentenced on Aug. 23.
Juan Castillo, 51, Litzy’s stepfather, is scheduled to be sentenced at the same time. He pleaded guilty in the same July 12 hearing as Cruz to reckless child abuse injury, a third-degree felony, admitting to not reporting the abuse that he saw occurring.
Castillo was also charged with child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony, and possession of a controlled substance but both charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
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