Mesa Mother and Boyfriend Charged with First-Degree Murder After Toddler Dies from Untreated Severe Burns
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Mesa Mother and Boyfriend Charged with Murder After Toddler Dies from Untreated Severe Burns
By 17GEN4 News | May 28, 2026
A 24-year-old Mesa mother and her 21-year-old boyfriend have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and child abuse after her 22-month-old son died from severe burns that went untreated for approximately 10 days.
The arrests were made on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Phoenix, more than a month after the child’s death.
Details of the Case
According to Mesa Police Department and court documents:
On April 12, 2026, officers responded to a home near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road in Mesa after reports of an unresponsive child.
The 22-month-old boy was found with severe liquid burns covering a large portion of his body — reports indicate over 40% of his body was affected.
The burns occurred while the child was in the sole care of his mother, Artnesia Aaliyah Baptist, and her boyfriend, Alexsander Byrne.
Police say the couple refused to seek medical treatment for the child’s injuries for about 10 days, despite the severity of the burns.
The toddler was eventually taken to a hospital but died from his injuries.
Detectives allege that Baptist and Byrne concealed the child’s condition, failed to provide necessary medical care, and allowed the boy to suffer a slow and painful death.
Charges
Both individuals were booked into jail on:
One count of first-degree murder
One count of child abuse (likely to cause death or serious physical injury)
Mesa police described the case as one of extreme neglect and abuse.Current StatusBaptist and Byrne remain in custody as the investigation continues. No additional details about the circumstances that led to the burns have been released by authorities at this time.The case has shocked the Mesa community and highlighted ongoing concerns about child welfare and the failure to seek timely medical care in abuse cases.
Mesa Mother and Boyfriend Charged with Murder After Toddler Dies from Untreated Severe Burns
A 24-year-old Mesa mother and her boyfriend face first-degree murder charges after her 22-month-old son died from severe burns they allegedly left untreated for 10 days.
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