On the morning of March 14, 2013, one of two twin toddlers who were taken to local area hospitals the previous day succumbed to her injuries. The parents, Kristepher Benevidez and Monique Gaxiola, were charged with 1st Degree Murder.
The other twin remains in a local area hospital in serious condition, but is expected to survive.
On March 13, 2013, at about 2:30 p.m., Tucson Police Department officers responded to a report of an 18-month old female that was not breathing. Tucson Fire Department personnel arrived on scene prior to police arrival and immediately transported the child to a local area hospital for emergency treatment. Medical personnel notified police that the child had non-accidental injuries and her condition was life threatening.
Officers secured the scene at the home and responded to the hospital to contact the parents. While officers at the home were securing the scene, they discovered a twin sister to the 18-month old victim as well as their 7-year old sister. They were located at a neighbor’s house.
The twin sister also had injuries that appeared non-accidental. She was transported to a local area hospital with serious injuries. The 7-year old sister had no obvious signs of injury.
Detectives determined that the father had been physically abusing the twin 18-month old sisters for an unknown period of time. The mother was aware of the abuse but did not report it. Both children suffered severe trauma from the abuse.
The investigation continues as detectives work to determine how the twin girls received their injuries and how long the abuse was ongoing.
The parents were booked into the Pima County Jail for 2 counts of Child Abuse.