A Utah couple has been sentenced to prison after their 18-month-old daughter died from malnutrition and dehydration following what investigators described as a prolonged pattern of severe neglect.

Carrie Marie Murray and Mitchell Chesnut Murray, both 32, were sentenced in Utah’s First District Court to two consecutive prison terms of one to 15 years each. The sentences stem from the March 2025 death of their daughter, Ruby Marie Murray, at the family’s home in Nibley, Utah.

Because the terms are consecutive, each parent could face up to 30 years in prison.

The couple had initially faced more serious charges, including aggravated murder. In July 2026, however, both pleaded guilty to reduced charges of child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse.

The case has drawn renewed attention following the release of additional details describing the conditions Ruby experienced during the final days of her life.

A CHILD LEFT IN A CRIB FOR HOURS
Investigators said Ruby spent most of her final days inside a crib at the family’s Nibley residence.

According to court documents reviewed by investigators, surveillance footage showed that Ruby was outside the crib for only about six hours during the final four days of her life.

The day before she died, investigators said the total interaction Ruby had with her parents and another child in the home amounted to only 49 seconds.

She was reportedly never removed from the crib that entire day.

Her father, Mitchell Murray, reportedly referred to certain days as “crib days,” explaining that Ruby would remain in her crib while he worked from home.

He told investigators that this occurred roughly once or twice a week, although he said he would periodically check on her.

Investigators reviewing the available footage reached a much more troubling picture of Ruby’s final days.

They said her diaper was not changed on the day before her death, while only six diaper changes were recorded over the four-day period.

THE CRIB WAS FILLED WITH FOOD AND TRASH
When deputies entered Ruby’s room, they reportedly found a deeply unsanitary environment.

The crib contained multiple sippy cups and pieces of waffle. Investigators also found old food inside the crib and trash, wrappers and additional food particles underneath the mattress.

The parents told investigators that Ruby was commonly fed toasted waffles.

According to the investigative documents, she sometimes ate the waffles directly inside the crib.

Her mother reportedly said Ruby was generally fed around three times a day, with occasional snacks, but investigators found evidence that her diet had been extremely limited.

The conditions described in the case became a central part of the prosecution’s allegations of severe neglect.

THE NIGHT BEFORE RUBY DIED
Investigators also examined what happened during Ruby’s final night.

According to court documents reported by Law&Crime, the parents played loud music in the child’s room while she was crying and experiencing difficulty breathing.

The music reportedly included songs from bands such as Green Day and Fall Out Boy.

The parents allegedly used the music despite its apparent effect on Ruby’s ability to sleep.

The following morning, Ruby was found unresponsive inside her crib.

Carrie Murray called 911 at approximately 10:30 a.m.

But according to the probable-cause statement, she did not attempt lifesaving measures.

Carrie told dispatchers that she was a nurse and believed her daughter was already beyond help.

RUBY’S CONDITION
The Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Ruby died from dehydration and malnutrition.

Investigators said Ruby weighed approximately 17 pounds when she died.

Authorities also documented unusual conditions inside the bedroom, including a space heater and several blankets around the child.

The room was significantly warmer than other areas of the house, while investigators recorded a very low body temperature for Ruby after she was discovered.

The medical findings ultimately established that the toddler’s death was connected to prolonged deprivation of adequate nutrition and hydration.

WHAT HER MOTHER TOLD INVESTIGATORS
Carrie Murray’s statements after Ruby’s death also became part of the investigation.

When questioned, she reportedly suggested that her daughter might have died from sudden infant death syndrome, while acknowledging that Ruby was older than the age typically associated with such cases.

Investigators also reported that Carrie said she believed it was “her time.”

According to court documents, she also told investigators that she did not feel guilt over Ruby’s death.

Those statements were among the details prosecutors presented as evidence of the parents’ extreme failure to recognize or respond to their daughter’s deteriorating condition.

A REGISTERED NURSE WHO DID NOT ATTEMPT CPR
One of the most striking details in the case involved Carrie’s professional background.

She was a registered nurse.

Yet when Ruby was found unresponsive, investigators said Carrie did not attempt lifesaving measures before emergency responders arrived.

The 911 dispatcher reportedly instructed her to provide assistance, but Carrie maintained that the child was already beyond help.

Paramedics subsequently determined that Ruby had already been dead for some time.

The circumstances surrounding that call became another important element of the criminal case.

THE COUPLE INITIALLY FACED MORE SERIOUS CHARGES
When the couple was arrested in December 2025, both were accused of aggravated murder and aggravated child abuse.

Investigators said the evidence showed a severe pattern of neglect that preceded Ruby’s death.

The prosecution later reached a plea agreement with the couple.

In July 2026, both admitted guilt to child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse, charges that carried substantial prison exposure while avoiding the original aggravated-murder charges.

Their sentencing took place in September.

Each received two consecutive terms of one to 15 years.

They were also credited with approximately 283 days already spent in custody.

THE JUDGE’S MESSAGE
During sentencing, Utah District Judge Spencer Walsh sharply criticized the parents’ treatment of Ruby.

The judge described the level of neglect as appalling and shocking.

He also emphasized that parenting requires far more than occasionally providing food or leaving a child in a crib.

The court’s remarks reflected the seriousness of the evidence presented in the case, particularly the amount of time Ruby spent isolated and the lack of adequate food, hydration and care.

BOTH PARENTS APOLOGIZED
During sentencing, both Carrie and Mitchell expressed remorse.

Carrie told the court that she was sorry and that she would continue to regret what happened to her daughter.

She acknowledged that her actions and failures had contributed to the tragedy.

Mitchell also apologized, saying he regretted what happened and acknowledged that he should have done more for Ruby.

Their statements came after investigators had documented months of neglect culminating in Ruby’s death.

A CASE THAT BEGAN WITH A CHILD’S DEATH
Ruby’s death initially brought investigators to a Nibley home on March 19, 2025.

What followed was an extensive investigation involving police interviews, surveillance footage, medical examinations and evidence from inside the child’s bedroom.

That investigation ultimately revealed a pattern that prosecutors said went far beyond a single failure to provide care.

Authorities said Ruby had been repeatedly left alone for extended periods and deprived of appropriate nutrition and hydration.

The evidence from the final days was particularly significant because investigators were able to reconstruct much of Ruby’s routine through surveillance footage.

THE FINAL FOUR DAYS
The surveillance evidence became one of the most important components of the investigation.

During the final four days of Ruby’s life, investigators determined that she spent only around six hours outside her crib.

The amount of direct human interaction was also extremely limited.

On March 18 — the day before her death — investigators said Ruby was never removed from the crib.

The total recorded interaction involving her parents and another child in the home was only 49 seconds.

That evidence helped prosecutors demonstrate the extent of the neglect and ultimately contributed to the charges to which the couple pleaded guilty.

RUBY’S STORY ENDS WITH A PRISON SENTENCE
The legal case has now reached a major conclusion.

Carrie and Mitchell Murray will each serve consecutive prison terms of one to 15 years for child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse.

Their potential maximum incarceration is 30 years.

But the sentencing cannot change what happened to Ruby.

An 18-month-old child who depended entirely on her caregivers for food, water, safety and attention died after investigators said those basic needs were repeatedly neglected.

The case serves as a stark reminder of how quickly prolonged neglect can become life-threatening for a young child.

Ruby’s death was ultimately ruled the result of malnutrition and dehydration, while the investigation documented a final period marked by prolonged confinement, inadequate care and extremely limited human interaction.

For prosecutors, the prison sentences represent the legal consequences of those actions.

For the family and those who knew Ruby, the case remains the story of a young child whose life ended before she had the opportunity to grow up.

SOURCES
NEW YORK POST — UTAH COUPLE LEFT BABY GIRL IN NEGLECTFUL CONDITIONS