Mother Charged With Capital Murder In Death Of 20-Month-Old Daughter

Police have charged an east side El Paso mother with the capital murder in death of her 20-month-old daughter.

Lorraine Lizzette Merjil, 21, is accused of punching, elbowing and kneeing her daughter Desiree in the stomach — injuries that police said led to the death of the girl at their home on the 11300 block of Tenaha Avenue.

The incident began around 10 p.m. Saturday evening when the child began crying. Merjil’s boyfriend, Jorge Sanchez, told police that she struck the child until she stopped crying.

Sanchez told police that later that night around 3:30 a.m Merjil told him they needed to take her daughter to the hospital because she was unresponsive.

The child died an hour later at Sierra Providence East, according to police.

As of Tuesday, the home still was blocked off with evidence tape and being guarded by police.

Those who lived nearby said they were stunned that the incident happened so close to their homes.

“It’s devastating, I mean, it’s unbelievable that something like this could happen in my neighborhood because it’s really a quiet neighborhood,” said neighbor Laura Pascale.

Elias Hernandez has lived in the neighborhood for nine years and said he was troubled by what happened just a few feet away from his home.

“I was shocked. Very shocked. It was hard to imagine a mother that could do that,” said Hernandez.

Merjil was arrested on suspicion of capital murder. She was booked into the El Paso County Jail with no bond.

The El Paso Child Crisis center is urging parents in the borderland to seek help if they need it by calling 562-7955.

Police said Desiree Merjil is the city’s 15th murder victim for 2011 and the second child death this year.