Murder of Brianna Lopez

Brianna Mariah Lopez (known simply as Baby Brianna) was a 5 month old infant girl from Las Cruces, New Mexico. She was a victim of extremely brutal child abuse. Brianna had been raped, beaten, thrown to the ceiling of her home, pinched, kicked, bitten, and had signs of Shaken Baby Syndrome. The people involved in her murder and abuse are her mother, father, and uncle. Life: Brianna Mariah Lopez was born on February 14, 2002 in Dona Ana County, Las Cruces, New Mexico to Stephanie Lopez, 19 and Andrew Walters, 21. She lived in a small home with her mother, father, uncle Steven Lopez, and her 18 month old brother (name not known). Brianna only left this home one time in her whole life: When she was taken to the hospital, less than 2 hours before she died. Abuse: Up until the time she was pronounced dead, Baby Brianna suffered abuse of every form. She was beaten, pinched, kicked, hit, bitten, thrown, yelled at, laughed at, dropped, scratched, shaken, ignored, raped, and so much more. You name it, this baby endured it, in the worst way possible. When Brianna cried, her father and uncle would laugh at her and put clothing and other items in her mouth to muffle her screams. Her mother would pinch her and bite her for that reason and many others as well. Brianna's uncle and father would "play roughly" with her just for their own enjoyment. They would throw Brianna to the ceiling and would let her slam to the ground, causing massive head injuries. This happened the night before Brianna died as well. Also happening the day before Brianna passed away, her father and uncle were changing her diaper when one of them took a baby wipe, wrapped it around their finger, and inserted it into Brianna's anus. They did exactly the same to Brianna again, but this time the wipe was in her vagina. In other ways not named, Brianna was sexually abused and brutally mutilated. All of this occurred from the day Brianna left the hospital, up until the day she died. Death: On July 19, 2002, at 11:10 AM, Baby Brianna died at Memorial Medical Center at the young age of 5 months and 5 days. Brianna's cause of death was blunt force trauma to her head, as well as other injuries she had sustained. Aftermath: In September 2003, Baby Brianna's father was sentenced to 63 years in prison. Her uncle was sentenced to 57 years. Her mother was sentenced to 27 years in prison. In 2005, New Mexico passed the Baby Brianna Law which allows life sentences for intentionally killing a child by abuse.