What did Krista Brunecz do? Virginia mother charged in the brutal death of infant

32-year-old Krista Brunecz has been charged with the murder of her infant last year. She allegedly stabbed the three-month-old baby girl multiple times in the chest using a butcher’s knife. A Lewis County grand jury indicted Krista on one count each of murder and death of a child by a parent or guardian by child abuse.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to child abuse. Readers’ discretion is advised.

Court records confirmed a horrific scene that took place on December 30, 2022, at around 8 am local time, at the Weston Manor apartment complex. Cops responded to the scene after receiving a report of a child getting stabbed. According to responding officers, Krista Brunecz was found “kneeling in front of the couch with a lifeless infant in her arms.” Authorities also recovered a bloody knife next to the couch and treated it as a piece of evidence.

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Krista Brunecz allegedly stabbed her three-month-old infant daughter multiple times and has been charged with murder

The horrific incident happened in 2022 when a 3-month-old girl was found dead in her residence, and her mother, Krista Brunecz, was kneeling by the couch. The attack took place in the Weston Manor apartment, which is situated on Hickory Lane. Details of the incident was also confirmed by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

The responding authorities discovered the unresponsive infant and rushed both Krista and the child to Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment. However, the child was declared dead at around 8.15 pm local time. Following this, the infant’s tragic death was ruled a homicide after authorities found several stab wounds to the chest.

Krista Brunecz was later admitted to a facility for self-inflicted stab wounds to the wrist, chest, and head. After being stable, she was transferred to Ruby Memorial Hospital for additional treatment. A nurse from Stonewall Memorial Hospital, who took care of the suspect while she was admitted there, spoke to investigating officers about the alleged incident. She said that Brunecz spoke to her and mentioned stabbing her baby and then herself.

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The suspect’s boyfriend and her mother claimed that she has been suffering from mental health issues

According to the suspect’s boyfriend, Krista Brunecz, has been suffering from postpartum psychosis and could not get help before the horrific incident took place. She currently has been indicted on multiple felony charges related to the infant’s death. If found guilty, Krista could face life in prison for the murder charge and about 15 years behind bars for the death by child abuse charge.

The suspect’s arraignment was set for Friday, July 14, 2023, in Lewis County Circuit Court. According to the suspect’s mother:

“I just want people to pray for my daughter and pray the laws about mental health are changed.”

Like the suspect’s boyfriend, her mother also claimed that she has been suffering from mental issues all her life.

Authorities have been investigating the case to find further details. The complaint against her further revealed that at around 6.50 am on the day of the incident, she sent an image of her holding her unresponsive child in her arms to her mother. The image further showed blood running down her head to the chest area.