Baltimore parents arrested after infant's death blamed on Satanic force
A Baltimore couple was detained after their two-month-old daughter died with severe facial bruising, and the father claimed a supernatural force caused the injuries.
Two twenty-one-year-olds, Katerin Monzon-Alvarado and Oscar Pineda, brought their two-month-old daughter Aida Alvarado to a Baltimore hospital on Wednesday with pronounced bruising on her face and jaw. Hospital staff discovered multiple fractures and brain injuries, including frontal-lobe and subdural hemorrhaging, and the infant died after becoming unresponsive following a feeding. In police questioning, Pineda alleged the injuries were caused by a supernatural force, specifically "Satan" swinging a door, a claim unsupported by medical findings.
Monzon-Alvarado offered a conflicting story, suggesting their two-year-old son might have caused the harm. The couple, Guatemalan nationals, were arrested, charged with child abuse, assault and reckless endangerment, and are considered a flight risk, facing a maximum sentence of 55 years.
Why it matters
The case highlights severe child-abuse concerns and the challenges of investigating bizarre claims in criminal investigations.
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