Tiffany Toribio Indicted in Death of Son

June 11, 2009

The Albuquerque, N.M., mother who admitted to police that she suffocated her 3-year-old son and buried him in a playground was officially indicted by a grand jury earlier this week.

On June 8, Tiffany Toribio, 23, was indicted on the following total five charges: first degree murder, child abuse resulting in the death of a child under 12, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death and concealing her identity.

As a result of the charges, State District Judge Bob Schwartz doubled Toribio's cash-only bond from $250,000 to $500,000. Toribio will be arraigned within the next 10 days. According to her attorney, Jeff Buckels, Toribio is planning to enter a not guilty plea.

Meanwhile, investigators are continuing to look at statements that were made by Toribio's friends and family members to determine whether they will file charges regarding failure to report neglect. According to District Attorney Kari Brandenburg, investigators have received conflicting accounts, which have raised credibility questions.

"The child reportedly was very healthy, very well-nourished and looked well taken care of, so there has to be something really clear for them to report," Brandenburg said.

According to Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz, Toribio was kicked out of her house on May 7 and stayed with friends until May 10, when she began to wander the streets of Albuquerque. Toribio allegedly told police that she was walking around Alvarado Park with her son, 3-year-old Tyrese "Ty" Toribio, on May 13, when she made the decision to end his short life.

"She placed her hand over her son's mouth and nose and suffocated him. She had second thoughts about what she did. She performed CPR on her son, brought him back to life and then decided to go forward with that original act she had started to commit," Schultz said.

Toribio told police she did not want her son to grow up like she did - with no one caring about her.

Following the boy's murder, Toribio allegedly buried her son under the swing set at Alvarado Park. Two days later, a woman visiting the park spotted a small sneaker protruding from the sand. When she reached down to pick up the shoe, the woman was horrified to discover that it was still attached to a foot.

When forensic experts exhumed the body from the makeshift grave, they discovered it was that of a 3-to-5-year-old boy. Unable to release a photo of the child's face, due to damage that was caused by exposure to the heated sand, investigators released a composite sketch of the boy, who local residents dubbed "Baby Justice," "Baby 4x4," and "Baby Angel."

Toribio continued her life on the lamb until May 21 when a tipster's information led to her arrest. Police say Toribio initially lied about her identity and the location of her child, but later made a full confession.

As a result of a failed suicide attempt, Toribio is being kept under observation at the Metropolitan Detention Center. If convicted of the most serious charges, Toribio faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Related Link:
Who Is 'Baby Justice'?
Tiffany Toribio Allegedly Killed 'Baby Justice' - Twice

Photo Credits: Albuquerque Police Department

Please note: Persons appearing in mug shots may not have not been convicted of the charges for which they are accused and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission from Discovery Communications. All quotes must include a link back.

Comments

[Sheila]

Thank God. I was just lamenting about how parents are not being held to a high enough standard. For example, the cases of the toddlers whose parents did not get in any kind of trouble at all for "forgetting" their children in hot vehicles here in Texas last summer. Thanks, David

[Kgoober]

"Toribio told police she did not want her son to grow up like she did - with no one caring about her."

Oh cry me a river. She could have given him up for adoption or left him with family so maybe he would have a chance at a better life. She deserves the death penalty.

[ICORP Investigations, Inc.]

That is a horrible story....She has some very scary eyes. Obviously a very disturbed person.

[Joe]

This is just such a horrible, horrible case. How bad does her life have to be, and what kind of mental state was she in to make the terrible decisions that she did?

[Joe]

What has to be going through someone's mind for them to kill their own child? This is terrible.

[LeeLee]

There are no words to accurately describe how disgusted I am by this child's tragic death. Literally gives me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach just reading this account of what happened... in my opinion it takes a very sick person to do what she did to her own child. I pray for that poor little guy and the chance at life that was taken away from him before he even knew it by the person he trusted most in the whole world. They say its takes all kinds, but this kind is the kind that disgusts me more than anything out there...a mother who kills her own child.

[Jordan]

It's so lucky for me to find your blog! So shocking and great!

[jordan]

Great articles. Thanks a lot!

[LV]

What a great post!

[NYC Private Investigator]

Horrifying. Obviously, she is mentally ill. This is a dreadful story.