Miranda Cachini
Introduction
Miranda Cachini, a 27-year-old Zuni woman, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter after her 2-month-old daughter died from asphyxiation. According to court documents, on the night of January 25, 2025, Cachini consumed alcoholic beverages and fell asleep while breastfeeding the infant in bed, and during the night she rolled over on top of the baby. Cachini pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, and upon her release from prison she will be subject to three years of supervised release. The sentence was announced on October 29, 2026, by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office.
Background Information
The facts of the case come from a release issued on October 29, 2026, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico under the title “Zuni Woman Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter of Infant Daughter.” The release is short, and its account of the offense is drawn entirely from court documents: “According to court documents, on the night of January 25, 2025, Miranda Cachini, 27, consumed alcoholic beverages and fell asleep while breastfeeding her 2-month-old daughter in bed.” The case was investigated by the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office “with assistance from the Zuni Pueblo Police Department.”
Beyond her name and age, the release records little about Cachini. It does not state where she lives, does not describe her occupation or family circumstances, does not name her defense attorney, and does not give the date of her guilty plea or the date of the sentencing hearing. It records only that the case was handled in the federal system, where, as the release states, “There is no parole in the federal system.”
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Convicted and sentenced.
On the night of January 25, 2025, Cachini consumed alcoholic beverages and fell asleep in bed while breastfeeding her 2-month-old daughter. The release’s account of what followed is a single sentence: “During the night, Cachini rolled over on top of the baby, causing her to pass away by asphyxiation.” The child was two months old.
Cachini was prosecuted in federal court and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. The release presents the plea and the sentence as court-record facts and offers no further narrative about the proceedings. It identifies the prosecutor in one line: “Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.”
Public Reaction and Consequences
The public record on this case consists of the government’s October 29, 2026, announcement. The release carries no quoted statements from Ellison or Garris, no statement from Cachini herself, and no comment from her family or any defense attorney. What it records are the outcomes of the case: a guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter, a custodial sentence of 30 months, and a term of three years of supervised release to begin “upon her release from prison.”
The agencies behind the investigation are named. “The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Pueblo Police Department.” The announcement was made by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and FBI Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Albuquerque Field Office.
Current Status
Cachini is serving a 30-month sentence in the federal prison system. The release states plainly: “There is no parole in the federal system.” It also states: “Upon her release from prison, Cachini will be subject to three years of supervised release.” The release records no appeal and lists no further court dates. It names the investigating agencies and the prosecutor, but does not identify the sentencing judge or the facility where the sentence is being served.
Impact on Their Career/Life
The sentence means roughly two and a half years of imprisonment, followed by three years during which Cachini will remain under federal supervised release. The release’s note that “There is no parole in the federal system” is the extent of its comment on how the custodial term will be served. The release says nothing about Cachini’s employment, her living situation, or her circumstances beyond the events of January 25, 2025. What it documents is the death of her 2-month-old daughter, the conviction entered on her guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter, the 30-month sentence, and the supervised release term that follows.
Sources
- U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Mexico, “Zuni Woman Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter of Infant Daughter,” October 29, 2026 — source