A Utah man has been charged with killing his 6-month-old daughter, with investigators alleging the infant suffered injuries consistent with having her nose pinched shut before she died, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
Neal Colby, 32, faces one count of reckless child abuse homicide and one count of child endangerment resulting in death in connection with the January 2025 death of baby Celia Colby. Police in Murray, a Salt Lake City suburb, responded shortly before 10 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2025, to find the infant in "full arrest." She died en route to the hospital—a day shy of her seventh-month birthday.
Background
Colby and Celia's mother were separated but continued living in the same house, with the mother and baby residing upstairs while Colby lived in the basement. On the morning of Jan. 17, the mother had placed the infant—who was running a mild fever—in Colby's custody before going about her routine.
According to the affidavit, Colby told investigators he was sleeping in the same bed as his daughter when he briefly woke her up after rolling over. He claimed he left the baby on his bed and went upstairs to watch videos on his phone, saying he would check on her hourly until finding her unresponsive sometime later.
When the mother heard Colby yell for help, she ran downstairs and recalled telling him, "God, she was so stiff." She immediately began performing CPR and asked Colby to call 911. He refused, authorities said. The mother ultimately made the emergency call herself.
The Investigation
First responding officers described Celia as appearing "gray" when they arrived. They also documented what they found inside Colby's basement living space—a room described in the affidavit as "very dirty with a lot of garbage and property around the room." Investigators noted human waste and animal waste in cat litter boxes, along with THC wax located near baby food.
A medical examiner's report documented bruises on Celia's nose, right cheek, and around her chin. Those injuries, according to a board-certified child abuse pediatrician who reviewed the case, could point to "the possibility of airway obstruction by external forces."
The pediatrician offered a stark assessment in her review.
"This pattern of injury can be seen when a caregiver pinches the nose shut, causing injury to the skin," she told investigators. "An asphyxia death may not be identifiable at autopsy. It cannot be ruled out that her airway was manually obstructed by an adult."
The expert also addressed the basement environment's potential role in Celia's death.
"This type of environment could have contributed to her death, but even if it did not, from a pediatric perspective, this environment would be considered unhealthy and dangerous for a child who is developing mobility to be in, even if supervised," she stated.
Investigators found inconsistencies in Colby's account of that morning. He claimed he was "too sick" to leave the house, yet his phone—initially reported as misplaced but later discovered between couch cushions—showed he allegedly left the girl alone for approximately 45 minutes and traveled to a "known drug area."
Colby suggested his daughter may have suffocated by pulling her blanket over her face, but medical professionals deemed that scenario unlikely.
Perhaps most damning in the affidavit were observations about Colby's behavior after his daughter's death. "Body cam footage from responding officers shows that the Defendant shows no remorse and is vaping when officers are not looking at him," investigators wrote. "When officers make direct eye contact and speak with the Defendant, he immediately begins wailing and howling, stating he doesn't know what happened."
Meanwhile, the child's mother spent that time repeatedly telling Colby he was "responsible" for her death.
Key Takeaways
- Neal Colby, 32, has been charged with reckless child abuse homicide and child endangerment resulting in death in Salt Lake County, Utah
- Baby Celia Colby died Jan. 17, 2025, at just under 7 months old after being found unresponsive in her father's basement
- A medical examiner documented bruises on the infant's nose, right cheek, and chin; a child abuse pediatrician said injuries are consistent with nose pinching
- The child's mother told investigators Colby refused to call 911 while she performed CPR on their daughter
- Police body camera allegedly captured Colby showing no remorse and vaping when officers weren't watching
What's Next
Colby was arrested Thursday and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, where he remains held without bond. His next court date has not yet been scheduled.
The investigation has spanned 17 months, with authorities continuing to work toward determining the official cause and manner of Celia's death.