Teenager accused of stabbing her newborn to death in Weld County

An 18-year-old from Texas is facing murder charges after she allegedly stabbed her newborn child to death in Weld County on Wednesday. 

Leyla Cepeda was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder Friday, according to the Weld County District Attorney’s Office.

Ault police officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Lincoln Avenue in Nunn just after 3 a.m. for a death investigation.

Paramedics and volunteer fire officials were the first to arrive and located a dead newborn who had stab wounds to its torso area, according to the arrest affidavit. 

Cepeda told officials she had not been feeling well and delivered the baby. She told them the baby wasn’t breathing and used small scissors to cut the umbilical cord before going upstairs to shower, according to the affidavit.

Cepeda added she did not ask for help because she had not told her family she was pregnant.

Responding officers located the newborn in the bedroom and observed what appeared to be stab wounds, as well. They found a small pair of scissors nearby and they appeared to have dried blood on them, according to the affidavit. 

While authorities secured the scene, Cepeda was taken to UCHealth Greeley Hospital.

Investigators questioned Cepeda’s mother at the hospital and she told them she had no knowledge of her daughter’s pregnancy and that no one heard anything until another occupant of the home went to the bathroom at 2:30 a.m. and found Cepeda and the trail of blood, according to the affidavit. 

Cepeda’s mother also told investigators her daughter told her that she covered the baby in a towel because the baby wasn’t breathing.

Following the interview, investigators asked Cepeda’s mother if they could speak with her daughter. At the time of the incident, Cepeda was a minor and therefore needed permission.

Both parties agreed, and investigators questioned Cepeda at her bedside. She said she believed she was pregnant but never had confirmation as her test came back negative, according to the affidavit. 

Cepeda told investigators she was not feeling well and felt something pushing out of her. She said the only comfortable position was to squat and then realized that she was having a baby. 

Just after 2 a.m. Cepeda told investigators that she felt the baby crowning and felt like she had to push, so she stood up and “she fell out of me” and “she was quiet and she wasn’t moving,” according to the affidavit. 

Cepeda said she never picked up the baby and went to take a shower because of all the blood.

Investigators asked Cepeda if the scissors fell onto the baby or if there were any reasons it would have cuts. She said no. When pressed by investigators, her mother ended the interview.

An autopsy of the newborn was conducted by the Weld County Corner’s Office and determined the baby was “near full development and nourished” when it was born.

Officials determined its cause of death to be multiple sharp forces injuries and the manner to be homicide. 

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