Mathis, TX – A Texas woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her infant daughter. Olivia Munoz, 22, pleaded guilty to charges of murder and injury to a child related to the death of her 7-month-old daughter, Hazel Munoz.
According to the San Patricio County District Attorney’s Office, the guilty plea occurred in October. The judge imposed two life terms during this hearing, following the terms of her plea deal.
Munoz was taken into custody by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice this week. The fatal incident occurred on December 19, when law enforcement received a 911 call from Munoz’s residence on South Marigold Street.
Emergency Medical Services responded around 6:30 a.m. and found Hazel unresponsive. Despite attempts to revive her, she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at ER 24/7 Northwest in Corpus Christi, located approximately 22 miles southeast of Mathis.
Mathis Police Chief Guillermo Figueroa stated investigators learned that Munoz had found her daughter not breathing and immediately called for help. Hospital staff later notified police about the injuries on Hazel’s body.
During initial questioning, Munoz confessed to hurting her daughter on three separate occasions and admitted to not seeking medical help afterward. At the time, she was pregnant and a mother to another child aged one year and five months.
Following the autopsy, investigators noted several fractures on Hazel’s arms, ribs, and skull. The results turned over to law enforcement in January indicated the cause of death was homicide, prompting charges to be upgraded to murder.
Munoz allegedly shared her feelings of anger toward her baby, attributing her actions to issues with the child’s father. The Texas Rangers became involved, and Munoz faced an indictment in March on two counts of capital murder and one count of injury to a child.
In October 2024, Munoz accepted a plea deal to reduce one murder charge and plead guilty to the remaining counts.
