Six-month-old Celia Aurora Colby loved sitting on her parents' laps, riding in her stroller and listening to the wind through the trees. On Jan. 17, 2025, the bright infant with an 'energized spirit' was found unresponsive in an unfinished basement of her Murray, Utah home, authorities said.
Background
The Murray Police Department responded to a report of an infant in 'full arrest' at approximately 9:46 a.m. on January 17, 2025, according to court documents obtained by Law&Crime. Officers found Celia's mother performing CPR on the baby in a filthy basement filled with garbage, animal waste and debris.
The family had been dealing with illness—the mother, her young son and the infant had all been sick with the flu, authorities said. Around 2:30 a.m., the mother brought Celia downstairs to her father, Neal English Colby, because she needed sleep. The couple had separated but were still living together, with Colby staying in the basement.
When the mother awoke later that morning, she found Colby screaming for her. 'Celia had red fluid coming out of her,' according to the affidavit. The mother immediately began CPR and called 911 because, she told investigators, 'Colby would not call.'
The Investigation
Police arrested Colby, 42, and charged him with one count of first-degree felony child abuse homicide and one count of child endangerment resulting in death.
The investigation revealed troubling details about those critical hours. Location data from Colby's cellphone—which he initially claimed was missing but was later found in the couch where he'd been sitting—showed the device left the residence at approximately 3:21 a.m. 'The location report shows that Colby left Celia alone without supervision and left the residence for 43 minutes,' court documents state. 'GPS tracking shows that the area Colby's phone remained is a known drug area for Murray police.'
Officers documented disturbing behavior during their response. 'Body cam footage from responding officers shows that [Colby] shows no remorse and is vaping when officers are not looking at him,' police wrote in the affidavit. 'When officers make direct eye contact and speak with [him], he immediately begins wailing and howling, stating he doesn't know what happened.'
Detectives also found reddish fluid on the mattress where Celia had been placed, bottles of urine near the bed, animal waste, drug paraphernalia and several jars of THC wax stored in a cupboard containing baby food and children's items.
An autopsy performed on Celia revealed bruising around her nostrils, right cheek and chin. While those injuries were not fatal on their own, they presented 'the possibility of airway obstruction by external forces,' according to the affidavit. A child abuse pediatrician who reviewed the case raised particular concern about the injuries to Celia's nostrils.
'The pattern of injury can be seen when a caregiver pinches the nose shut,' the pediatrician reportedly wrote. 'It cannot be ruled out that her airway was manually obstructed by an adult.'
Colby offered investigators a different account, claiming Celia drank a bottle and fell asleep after her mother brought her to him. He said he went upstairs and watched an hourlong YouTube video before checking on her hourly until about 8:30 a.m., when he claimed he fell asleep in a chair. He also stated he had 'wrapped a blanket around her tightly that stopped at her shoulder,' but suggested Celia had pulled it over her face.
Key Takeaways
- Celia Aurora Colby was just 6 months old when she died on January 17, 2025, in Murray, Utah
- Her father, Neal English Colby, has been charged with first-degree felony child abuse homicide and child endangerment resulting in death
- Cellphone location data shows Colby left the home for 43 minutes during which Celia was left alone unsupervised
- Body camera footage allegedly captured Colby showing 'no remorse' and vaping when officers weren't watching
- A child abuse pediatrician noted injuries consistent with nose-pinching and could not rule out manual airway obstruction by an adult
- Celia's obituary described her as having a 'bright, energized spirit' who loved being outdoors
What's Next
Colby was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail following his arrest and is being held without bail. Prosecutors have asked that he remain in custody pending trial. No court date has been set.