A North Carolina soldier has been charged with murder more than a year after the death of his 8-month-old daughter.
Misty Delatorre was in the custody of US Army Sgt. Gabriel Ceville at the time of her death in February 2023 after had ordered he and the baby’s mother split custody six months at a time two weeks earlier, WTVD reported. The baby’s grandmother, Misty Bray, said her namesake had been with her father for three days.
Records show that Ceville called 911 to say the little girl wasn’t breathing. She was airlifted to UNC hospitals but died a few days later. A medical examiner ruled the death homicide from blunt force trauma to the neck and head.
In court this week at Fort Libery, Army prosecutors said the baby had severe brain and eye injuries, comparable to a bad car crash, and uncountable hemorrhages.
Ceville, stationed with the 82nd Airborne Division and subject to the military justice system, appeared at a preliminary hearing on Wednesday after the US Army Office of Special Trial Counsel recommended charges of unpremediated murder, involuntary manslaughter, and domestic violence, WRAL reported.
“It’s a step but it’s far from justice. I cannot grieve properly for my baby because justice has not been served,” said Alina Delatorre, who now lives in California and listened into the hearing via her mother’s Facetime. “It is unbelievable that so much violence was inflicted onto an innocent 8-month-old baby. My daughter’s murderer is walking free and we will not stop until that monster is put away.”
The baby’s grandmother, Misty Bray, told WTVD that she was horrified by the details of the baby’s death she heard in court.
“I just want justice. I did. I just want my grandbaby’s death — someone needs to be held accountable,” Bray said. “She’s innocent. She didn’t even have her first tooth yet.”
Ceville has been released on his own recognizance while he waits to hear if the military court will order his case to move forward to a general court martial.
