Abilene Couple Arrested for Death of 3-Year-Old In San Angelo

SAN ANGELO— Two Abilene residents have been arrested in connection with the death of a three-year-old child and a summary of their text messages has been released.

Shytel Limuel, 30, and Mark Anthony Nieves, 32, have been arrested in connection with the death of three-year-old Josiah Limuel.

Information from a nine-page affidavit said on January 18, 2024, a San Angelo police Sergeant advised that a three-year-old Josiah was found unresponsive and taken by ambulance to Shannon Medical Center. When the child arrived at Shannon, his body temperature was so low that a reading could not be taken. It was learned from a doctor that Josiah could not be revived and had died.

That night, the temperature outside overnight was 34 degrees Fahrenheit.

A search warrant was executed at an apartment on the 2000 block of Vaughn Street, and it was discovered that the apartment bathroom and the children’s bedroom doorknobs had been installed with the locking mechanism on the outside so someone inside the room could not escape.

The autopsy report completed by a doctor at Texas Panhandle Forensics said that Josiah had died by hypothermia due to being left on a bare tile bathroom floor. The doctor acknowledged that the tile floor would cause the heat to be pulled from Josiah’s body.

Medical tests showed that Josiah had no infections, malformations, or diseases other than malnourishment. The doctor expressed that if a similarly aged child who was free of disease and did not suffer from malnutrition and was placed in similar circumstances, that child would not have succumbed to hypothermia and died as quickly as Josiah.

On January 18, 2024, and on January 24, 2024, Shytel Limuel was interview and she stated that on January 17, 2024, she was the only adult in the apartment caring for her son, Josiah, a six-year-old, and a one-year-old. Limuel advised that she was aware of Josiah’s weight concerns a year earlier.

At some point during that day, Limuel turned off the only heater in the apartment because it does not heat past the living room, and she was conserving energy to save money. There was no other heat source in the apartment. Limuel also said that on the evening of January 17, she gave Josiah a spanking then fed him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Limuel said that Josiah went to bed around 9:00 p.m. and said that he was on the floor with no blankets or bedding. She then changed her story and said she told Josiah to go to bed but did not actually check to see if he did. Then, Limuel gave another account that Josiah could have been in the bathroom when her other child went to bed.

Limuel acknowledged that Josiah has slept in the bathroom from time to time but then recanted that acknowledgement but said Josiah did sleep in the bathroom the night of January 17, 2024. Limuel went to bed around 10:00 p.m. on the living room couch with her one-year-old and the six-year-old slept on a mattress placed on the living room floor.

Limuel stated that she and the one-year-old had clothing on and slept under a blanket while the six-year-old slept with clothing on and also under a blanket. She explained that they slept in the living room since it was cold in the apartment.

Around 2:00 a.m., on January 18, 2024, Limuel got up from the couch to use the bathroom. She found Josiah on the tile floor and, again, gave several different accounts of his activity. First, she stated that Josiah was playing the bathroom, then said she was just sitting on the bathroom floor, then said he was laying down on the tile floor directly in front of the toilet. Limuel made eye contact with Josiah, used the bathroom, then left Josiah alone in the bathroom.

Limuel did not see Josiah with a blanket in the bathroom and gave two different stories again. She said she told Josiah to go back to bed then said she did not say anything to him as she left him in the bathroom. Limuel said when she left Josiah in the bathroom, it was cold in the house and said that he had the knowledge and ability to put on clothing to cover up if he gets cold. She also said that Josiah had access to blankets and “all sorts of stuff” to stay warm throughout the apartment.

Limuel went back to bed and woke up around 8:30 a.m. and again said it was really cold in the apartment. The heater in the apartment had been off since the night before and had been off for almost 24 hours.

When Limuel woke up, she went to the bathroom where she found Josiah laying down on his stomach in front of the toilet wearing the same clothes he had on at 2:00 a.m. He was unresponsive and foaming at the mouth. She picked him up and move him to a bedroom and offered him water, but he did not want it. Limuel said she tried to blow in his mouth and gave one compression.

Limuel then called Mark Nieves by telephone and told him that Josiah was not responsive or breathing and after they spoke, she called 911.

Limuel said that she knows Josiah had issued going to the bathroom and made him sit in front of the toilet for a while. She made him sit there and stare at the toilet and sometimes she would close the door. Limuel denied locking Josiah in the bathroom but later said that she honestly did not recall if he had been locked in the bathroom or not. She said that if she told Josiah to not come out, he was not going to come out of the bathroom.

Nieves was interviewed on January 18, 2024, and January 25, 2024, and said that he was aware of Josiah’s condition. He said that Josiah would get up in the middle of the night and try to get into the fridge, but it had a child lock on it. Nieves would find Josiah up in the middle of the night walking around looking in cabinets.

Nieves also said that Josiah was capable of dressing himself and has personally witnessed Limuel pick weather appropriate clothing for all her children. He also knew the bathroom and children’s bedroom doorknobs were installed with the locking mechanism facing outward but did not know why.

During the execution of the search warrant, messages were reviewed on Limuel’s phone between her and Nieves.The summery of these messages are as follows.

On July 17, 2022, Limuel told Nieves that he needed to be a team player and watch Josiah then talked about how she pushed Josiah down too hard when she whooped his feet. She told Nieves that she had stopped leaving bruises and it was an accident and advised that she does not realize how aggressive she is sometimes, and it scares her. Limuel then said she needs to stop leaving brusies and Nieves replies that it is fine and that they are a team.

On July 18, 2022, Limuel talks about where they can go swimming and that Nieves can give Josiah oatmeal because “it is no special treatment or vacation”. She says to Nieves seconds later that it’s Josiah’s mission every day to annoy her. Limuel then instructs Nieves to not give Josiah anything. Later that day, Limuel tells Nieves to put Josiah down for a nap and to give him some water, which Nieves agreed to do.

On September 1, 2022, Nieves asks Limuel if he should make burgers for the kids and Limuel tells him that Josiah is not getting anything, but he can feed the other children cheeseburgers and fries, which Nieves agrees.

On September 5, 2022, Limuel tells Nieves that Josiah never wants to play and is “up the grown-ups butts” just wanting food.

On September 17, 2022, Limuel said to Nieves that Josiah has to go, she cannot deal with him, and that spanking is not working. Also on September 17, Nieves suggested using food restrictions and being made to sit in front of the toilet as punishment.

On September 18, 2022, Limuel told Nieves that Josiah had been standing in the corner all day.

On November 1, 2022, Nieves argued with Limuel and say she is lucky Josiah is there because he would not leave until she came back and then told her that he would never leave Josiah alone and that he was trying to “piss her off”. Nieves also threatened to take Limuel to court and show pictures of Josiah’s bruises.

On June 1, 2023, Nieves told Limuel that he had just fed Josiah and cleaned the apartment. Limuel asked how Josiah’s eye looked and if it had gotten any better to which Nieves said the scratch got worse.

On July 8, 2023, Limuel messaged Nieves that she cannot do this, and he would be leaving the next day. When Nieves asked what Limuel was talking about, she replied, “Josiah”. Nieves asked what happened and Limuel said that Josiah had gotten Easter candy out of the closet and ate a “shit load” of candy. She said that Josiah hid the wrapper in and under his bed.

Nieves replied that Josiah should not be hungry and in a later message Limuel said that she is going to strangle Josiah and cannot deal with him because he is “weird and takes chewed up food to his bed and hides it”.

Limuel said that Josiah had eaten a big bowl of cereal, pizza, and macaroni and cheese and questioned how Josiah could still be hungry. Nieves questioned the food in the bed and responded that Josiah is not hungry, and it is “straight defiance”.

On August 16, 2023, the couple message each other about Josiah wetting himself on purpose. Limuel said that Josiah is coming up with new ways to “f*ck” with her and no one believes her. They message that Josiah knows that he won’t get in as much trouble if he wets himself then if he messes himself. Nieved said that Josiah is playing a game and that Limuel should play back.

The next day, on August 17, 2023, Limuel said that after Josiah wet himself “all night, all week,” he was using the bathroom since they had woken up because “his ass is starving lol”.

On September 4, 2023, the two argue over their children where Nieves accused Limuel of putting a six-inch gash along Josiah’s head. Limuel said she took care of her son, and that Nieves should take care of his.

On September 10, 2023, Limuel told Nieves that her male child took another child’s milk away and hid it under his pillow. Nieves suggested Limuel take away his pillow or bed so he cannot hide things. Limuel also said that she is ready to ship him off and complains that she would have to pay child support for him.On October 6, 2023, Nieves threatened to call the cops on Limuel and said that he would report her for Josiah. Limuel told Nieves to do so because it is not a secret she does not have the best relationship with Josiah.

On October 15, 2023, Limuel reminded Nieves that he told her to start starving Josiah and that she had been doing so since it was his idea.

On November 2, 2023, Nieves messaged Limuel that he was angry because they were sleeping and could hear Josiah being loud in the kitchen. Nieves stated that Josiah ran to his room when he got out of bed. Nieves then messaged that he was going to give Josiah medicine to “knock him out”.

Later, Nieves confirmed that he gave Josiah medicine and to give it a few minutes to kick in. Limuel appeared to ask why and Nieves said he is “playing a mission” appearing to reference a video game.

On November 22, 2023, Limuel said that Josiah’s behavoir started changing when she left him with Nieves and accused Nieves of liking little boys and being a child molester. Nieves said that if Limuel lied he would get CPS involved. Limuel then reminds him that it was his idea to starve Josiah. Nieves argued that Limuel never liked Josiah.

On December 17, 2023, Nieves argues with Limuel that they can play in court where he would win since Limuel had a “starved child” in her household.

Older messages say the Limuel never had a connection with Josiah and on December 20, 2021, Josiah received six spankings a day with a belt.

Three video recording were also found during the execution of the search warrant on Limuel’s telephone.

The first video was recorded on January 17, 2024, at 6:19 p.m. and showed Josiah sitting at a kitchen table. He is seen without a shirt on with dark jogging pants and is eating a sandwich. A female is heard saying she has to go to the bathroom and pros the phone up.

Josiah is seen shaking uncontrollably and appears to be hypothermic. He is visibally malnourished and is in medical distress.

Another child is heard in the background and a toilet is heard flushing. The phone is then taken form the kitchen to the bathroom by who appears to be Limuel.

In the second video, which was recorded on January 17, 2024, at 6:27 p.m., Limuel is shown recording Josiah sitting at the table and is still shaking uncontrollably. He makes a whimper noise and Limuel mocks him and says, “Couldn’t stop”.

Limuel props the camera up on the table and goes into the living room. Josiah continues to shake as he eats his sandwich but is having difficulty getting the food into his mouth. His rib cage is visible, and his skin is wrinkled at his armpit. He continues eating with his head down.

Josiah’s shaking worsens to the point that he had difficulty holding the sandwich then makes a sound like gasping or wheezing. His body begins to jerk back and forth as he leans over.

Limuel comes back into the kitchen and asks herself where her phone is and looks at Josiah then says, “oh, there it is”, and picks up her cell phone that was positioned to record Josiah.

In the third video, which was recorded on January 17, 2024, at 6:38 p.m., the six-year-old is seen holding Limuel’s phone as it video records. Limuel is heard saying to sit on the toilet. The six-year-old then walks from the living room through the kitchen to the bathroom.

The bathroom door is heard opening, and it is completely dark in the bathroom. The child turns on the bathroom fan then turns it off. Then, the child turns on the light.

When the light is one, Josiah is seen sitting on the tile foor of the bathroom and is again only wearing jogger pants. He is heard wheezing with labored breathing. The child recording moves to the toilet and sits down and records Josiah. He is seen with his head down and is shaking, rocking back and forth involuntarily as he struggles to remain upright.

The child recording gets up from the toilet and steps over Josiah to get out of the bathroom and turns off the bathroom light. Then, the child stops at the bathroom doorway and is heard telling Josiah, “Go”.

Limuel asked the child if the door is locked back, to which the child says something is wrong with the door. Limuel tells the child to move and at that point the door is heard closing. She then takes the phone away from the child and walks back into the living room.

Both Limuel and Nieves were booked into the Tom Green County Jail on April 25, 2024, for Aggravated Kidnapping, Injury to a Child casing Serious Bodily Injury, and Abandoning or Endangering a Child. Nieves has also been charged with Evading Arrest or Detention and Assault of a Pregnant Woman.

Limuel’s bond has been set at $1,450,000 and Nieves’ bond has been set at $1,310,000.