Edinburg Woman Arrested in Infant Daughter’s Death

Staff Report

EDINBURG TX – A 24-year-old Edinburg woman has been arrested following an investigation into the February death of her two-month-old daughter, according to the Edinburg Police Department.

Viridiana Nieto was taken into custody on May 6 in Fort Worth with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. She was formally arraigned on May 15 on multiple charges, including criminally negligent homicide, endangering a child, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.

The investigation began on February 10, when Edinburg officers were called to the 500 block of S. Raul Longoria to assist EMS with an unresponsive infant. Upon arrival, officers found the baby unresponsive and in the presence of her mother and two other young children, ages 1 and 4. The infant was transported to Edinburg Children’s Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

According to police, Nieto had allegedly been on a drug binge and was asleep for most of the day leading up to the incident. THC vape pens and marijuana were found during the investigation.

A warrant for Nieto’s arrest was issued on April 21. She was located in Fort Worth and taken into custody. Her bonds were set at $1 million for criminally negligent homicide, $500,000 for endangering a child, $25,000 for possession of a controlled substance, and $7,500 for possession of marijuana.

The Edinburg Police Department thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies involved in the arrest.

Source – Edinburg Police Department.