A former couple in Missouri is facing second-degree murder charges in the death of an infant. Stephanie Hernandez and her estranged husband, Jonathan Gaona, both allegedly contributed to the death of the 2-month-old baby girl. Even though they were no longer a couple and Hernandez had the baby with another man, they were still living together with their other children. Gaona claimed that caring for multiple children led him to neglect the baby, ultimately leading to her death.
Both he and Hernandez, however, were allegedly neglectful in different ways, which resulted in the death of baby. Gaona, Hernandez’s ex-husband, was the child’s primary caregiver at the time of her death, despite not being her biological father, KOLR reported. He was charged with second-degree murder, two counts of abuse or neglect of a child – serious emotional or physical injury, no sexual contact and first-degree, first-offense child endangerment.
Police were called to the estranged couple’s home on February 11, 2025, for a baby who wasn’t breathing and had blue lips, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by KOLR. An officer also reported that the baby had injuries on her face, back, and torso that looked like they could be burns. She was taken to the hospital, where she was declared dead.
In an interview with police, Gaona said the burns likely occurred when he put the baby in the bathtub, KOLR reported. He turned on the hot water and walked away when he became distracted by other children in the home, going back to the infant only when he heard her scream.
Additionally, he left her soaking in her own urine for “half a day,” People reported from the probable cause affidavit. When he went to change her, he noticed her skin was peeling.
He tried to put cream and baby powder on her skin, thinking it would heal her “like a turtle,” the affidavit read, per People. Gaona allegedly looked up ways to heal baby burns, according to reports obtained by KOLR.
In addition to the burns, there were also injuries to the baby’s ears, which Gaona initially denied knowing about. Investigators said he then claimed it was an accident before admitting the truth.
“He advised he grabbed her by the ears, shaking her head back and forth,” the affidavit read.
First, he said he was “stressed,” but then admitted he “did it on purpose because everyone was crying and he couldn’t get Victim 1 to calm down,” People reported. He said this happened after the burns.
Another woman staying in the home reportedly advised both Gaona and Stephanie Hernandez to bring the baby to the hospital, but they refused, Law & Crime reported, citing the affidavit.
“Stephanie told detectives how she did not take [the baby] to the hospital because she did not want to lose her children,” the affidavit read, per Law & Crime. She “then talked about how, ultimately, her actions resulted in her losing” her baby. Despite being told no, the roommate called the authorities anyway.
The medical examiner who performed an autopsy on the baby, found several contributing factors to her death. They included “blunt force head injuries, acute pneumonia and methamphetamine toxicity,” according to the affidavit, Law & Crime reported.
Drug tests were performed on the other children in the home, per KOLR. They tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamines. Some of them were also positive for cannabinoids.
After the baby’s death, Stephanie Hernandez started a GoFundMe account that has since been taken down. She described herself as a “mother with 6 children who unfortunately had went through a tragedy of loosing [sic] my 2 1/2 month old baby.”
“As hard as it is too [sic] let you go my love I know your in a better place with God and you will no longer suffer in this what we tend to call life,” she wrote on the page. She only raised $202 of her $5,000 goal.
Hernandez also has been charged with second-degree murder as well as abuse or neglect of a child and child endangerment. She was arrested on February 20, 2026, KOLR reported.
According to People, both Hernandez and Gaona pleaded not guilty to all charges on February 23. Their bond reviews are scheduled for March 11.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
