A Florida mother faces murder charges after her 9-month-old apparently consumed eggshells, feathers, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Natalia Munoz-Paulino, 26, faces second-degree murder and child abuse charges in the death of her 9-month-old son. According to an arrest affidavit, Munoz-Paulino was the sole caregiver for the child, and the child's father worked out of state to provide support for the family.
Police were called to the home in July 2024 and told by Munoz-Paulino that she had fallen asleep while cradling the child, and when she woke up, he was turning purple.
In court documents, police describe the home as "unkept and dirty with several items of clothing, old food, trash and used hygienic products scattered on the floor. The environment was unconducive for children to live in as several items which could be harmful to a child's health and well-being were scattered on the floor."
While in the home, officers said they saw the victim's older sibling begin drinking baby oil. They intervened as the child's mother did not, according to court documents.
An autopsy found eggshells and feathers in the child's stomach. Authorities also conducted a toxicology and found that there were lethal amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine in the child. The autopsy also ruled out suffocation or airway obstruction.
According to the affidavit, following the completion of the various tests in May 2025, the cause of death was determined as child neglect, and the manner of death was ruled homicide.
