EAGLE PASS, Texas — A mother has been charged with murder after her child was pronounced dead at an Eagle Pass hospital.
Authorities said the woman, originally from San Antonio, was arrested after she tried to bring her child across the International Bridge into Eagle Pass from Piedras Negras, Coahuila Mexico.
This was around 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning, when police said the woman carried the three-year-old girl across the bridge asking for medical help.
Police identified the woman as 26-year-old Rosemary Hernandez. They said Hernandez and her child are both U.S. citizens, living in Piedras Negras.
Customs and Border Protection agents and EMS tried to perform emergency medical care on the girl, but she showed no vital signs and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center.
But, investigators believe the girl had died long before arriving at the hospital, and said Hernandez had most likely carried the lifeless body of her daughter across the bridge.
Investigators said the girl had massive head trauma and numerous injuries, showing signs of long-term abuse.
Authorities also believe the girl may have been sexually assaulted, but said they are waiting on autopsy results before confirming.
Eagle Pass Police, along with the Texas Rangers are working with Mexican authorities to further investigate the case.
Hernandez and her boyfriend, identified by police as 31-year-old Luis Cuevas were arrested by police in Coahuila and charged with homicide.
Officials said Hernandez has three other children, who are now in protective custody in Mexico.
They said none of the other children show any sign of abuse.
Officials said this was the worst case of child abuse they'd ever seen and now the focus of the investigation is to find justice for the little girl.
“This was very difficult, in every sense of the word, not only because of the age but because, from my experience, what I saw, it was not something that had happened overnight, it was something that was prolonged and been going on for quite some time,” said Eagle Pass Police Chief Alberto Guajardo.
Both Guajardo and Eagle Pass Mayor Luis Sifuentes encourage community members to report signs of abuse immediately to authorities.
“As a father of four myself, it was painful,” said Sifuentes.
Hernandez and Cuevas are still in jail in Mexico. They are set to appear in court in Coahuila on May 3.