By ALEXANDREA BAILEY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
Mariana Martinez Baltazar has been found not legally responsible for the death of her young daughter, Madison Dayana de la Cruz. Baltazar was arrested and charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide on Aug. 12 by the Port Isabel Police Department [PIPD]. The Cameron County District Attorney’s Office has dismissed these charges according to Baltzar’s attorney, Jim Young.
“We respect the decision of the District Attorney’s Office and we need to move forward,” said Port Isabel Police Chief Robert Lopez.
Madison Dayana de la Cruz was discovered deceased by the PIPD on April 18, 2024, in the bedroom of her home at the 400 block of Martinez Street in Port Isabel. Hours earlier, at 4:15 a.m., the PD had responded
to a call concerning Baltazar needing medical attention, which she refused despite having a visibly swollen left eye, a swollen upper lip and a six-inch open gash across the back of her skull.
Young alleges that Baltazar was the victim of a severe and unrelenting campaign of domestic violence at the hands of Madison’s father, Denis de la Cruz.
“Mariana [Baltazar] suffered countless beatings, followed by threats of further violence, including threats against her children, if she were to call the police or tell them what was actually happening. This is sadly
much too common in cases of domestic violence,” alleged Young. “On the night Madison tragically died, Denis had beaten Mariana particularly badly. And like so many victims of domestic violence, she once again
told the PIPD and local EMS that she had fallen… Later that night, after everybody else had left, Denis returned. We don’t know exactly what happened, except that Mariana was severely concussed and unable to be easily awoken. But when she did wake up, her precious baby, whom she called Didi, was deceased at the age of 17 months.”
Cruz was arrested for alleged assault family violence against Baltazar and her older daughter.
Young stated that he and Baltazar place no blame on any agency of law enforcement, including the PIPD, for the death of Madison.
“But we do believe that we must do better as a community around domestic violence,” stated Young.
“Mariana is a wonderful mother, a hard worker and a fundamentally kind person. She is also the strongest person I have ever met. The accusations against her have been hurtful to her and to her other children. But all she wants is for what happened to her to never happen to another person again.”
According to Young, Cruz voluntarily consented to being deported back to Guatemala. He was formerly represented by Michael Trejo.
Victims of domestic violence are highly encouraged to reach out to local agencies including Friendship of Women (fowinc.com /(956) 544-7412) and the Family Crisis Center (familycrisisctr.org/(1-866-423-9304)