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RISING SUN, Md. (WKRC) — A mother was arrested after her baby died in the cushions of a couch while she was allegedly drunk and recording videos on Snapchat.
According to the Maryland State Police, 24-year-old Destiny Faith Chiveral of Charlestown, Maryland, was taken into custody and charged with the murder of her five-week-old daughter.
The investigation began after a 911 call on December 4, 2025, led law enforcement and emergency medical services to a residence in Rising Sun, Maryland, where the infant was pronounced dead. An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore revealed evidence of trauma.
According to Us Weekly, authorities said the infant was found dead and wedged between the cushions of the suspect’s couch. The autopsy reportedly found trauma to the child’s body, which resulted in “bleeding to the back of the brain.”
When speaking with law enforcement, Chiveral said her baby had fallen between the couch cushions and been smothered, per the report.
However, Cecil Whig reported that doctors determined the baby’s injuries did not support the suspect’s claims. The child was found to have suffered the following injuries:
- A small facial laceration
- An abrasion on the side of her face
- Bruises on her bottom
- A large bruise beneath her scalp
Doctors said the head injury and brain bleed were caused by a “significant amount of force” and that a fall from the couch would not have resulted in such injuries.
Authorities say that during the night, Chiveral became heavily intoxicated while alone with the child in her townhouse. The lead investigator said, “a majority of the videos appear to be outgoing Snapchat videos from Chiveral to others,” with a crying baby heard in several clips.
A charging document reviewed by the publication reportedly states, “Chiveral says, while in the bathroom, ‘I don’t know if you hear the (expletive) baby trippin’ in the background,’” while the baby can still be heard crying.
Another video taken at 1:34 a.m. on December 4 reportedly shows the baby alive. Investigators noted that a picture frame above the living room couch appeared to be level in the video, but was found significantly tilted—at about a 45-degree angle—when first responders arrived the next morning.
When speaking to authorities, Chiveral reportedly confirmed she had consumed alcohol on the night of December 3, but claimed she had only one drink on the way to the home in Rising Sun before later having a “Smirnoff shot.” She told police she was sober and not on medication at the time, Cecil Whig reported.
A witness told police she found a “nearly empty bottle of vodka” on the kitchen table on December 4. She said the bottle belonged to her and that it had been nearly full the last time she left it in the freezer. She added that the bottle was not on the kitchen table the previous night.
Another witness told police that she had invited Chiveral to stay at her home to “provide a stable living environment” for the child, but said Chiveral had gone to a friend’s home for a “girls’ night.”
Two witnesses also told authorities that Chiveral had described herself as “homeless,” with one saying she felt bad for the baby because Chiveral “didn’t seem to be caring for her.”
After learning her child had died from blunt force trauma, the suspect reportedly said, “I don’t understand. I swear I never did anything to her. I would never do that.” She suggested she may have injured the baby by kicking her in her sleep or while sleepwalking, adding that she sometimes sleepwalks, “especially when she drinks.”
Chiveral also reportedly suggested that her older child, a toddler, was sometimes “rough with” the baby and said she had to discipline the toddler because they were “untrustworthy” with the infant. The lead investigator said the baby was “found cold, lifeless, and had clearly been deceased for some time.”
According to Cecil Whig’s report, when speaking to investigators, the suspect reportedly said, “Nothing I say is going to fix this, is it? No matter what, I’m going to be blamed for her death, ain’t I?”
Chiveral was arrested without incident and charged with the following:
- Murder
- Child abuse resulting in death
- Related offenses
She is currently being held without bond at the Cecil County Detention Center.
Following the investigation, which included search warrants for Chiveral’s phone, person, and residences, authorities said evidence was found supporting the charges. The suspect is awaiting further court proceedings.