MURRAY, Utah — A father in this Salt Lake City suburb is facing serious charges after his 6-month-old daughter died in what police describe as a basement filled with human and animal waste.
Neal Colby, 32, has been charged with reckless child abuse homicide and child endangerment in connection with the death of his infant daughter, Celia Colby.
According to a probable cause affidavit, officers responded to the home just before 10 a.m. on January 17, 2025, after receiving a call about an infant in full cardiac arrest. The baby died shortly after while being taken to the hospital.
It took investigators nearly a year and a half to build their case. Celia, described by family as having an “energized spirit,” died just one day before she would have turned seven months old.
A medical examiner found bruising on the baby’s nose, cheek and chin — injuries that could point to her airway being blocked. A child abuse pediatrician who reviewed the findings said the pattern was consistent with someone pinching a baby’s nose shut, and noted that this kind of asphyxiation can be difficult to detect during an autopsy.
Colby and Celia’s mother were separated but still shared the same house — she and the baby lived upstairs, while he stayed in the basement. On the night in question, the mother had left Celia in Colby’s care because the baby had a mild fever.
Colby told police he’d been sleeping next to his daughter and briefly woke her when he rolled over. He said he then left her on the bed and went upstairs to look at his phone, only checking on her periodically until he found her unresponsive.
When he called for the baby’s mother, she rushed in and began CPR — but police say Colby refused to dial 911 himself, leaving her to make the call while trying to save their daughter.
Officers who arrived described the basement as filthy, littered with garbage, animal waste from litter boxes, and drug paraphernalia found near baby food. The pediatrician who reviewed the case said that environment alone would be considered dangerous for a mobile infant, regardless of what caused her death.
Investigators also say Colby’s account didn’t match the evidence. He initially claimed he’d been too sick to leave the house that night, but phone records allegedly showed he left the baby alone for roughly 45 minutes and drove to an area known for drug activity before returning home.
Police also noted his behavior after Celia died — body camera footage reportedly shows him vaping and appearing calm when he thought no one was watching, then breaking down in tears only when officers made eye contact with him.
Colby was arrested Thursday and is being held without bond at the Salt Lake County Jail. A court date has not yet been set.
Celia’s family remembered her as a baby who loved being outdoors — riding in her stroller, resting in the sunshine, and reacting with wonder rather than fear during a rainstorm.