A 2-month-old Oregon baby died with 18 rib fractures, methamphetamine in her system, pneumonia in her lungs, and bruises on her tiny body. Now, a Benton County jury has decided her mother failed to protect her when the warning signs were already too serious to ignore.
Deborah Albin was convicted on June 2, 2026, of first-degree manslaughter and two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment in the death of her infant daughter, Opal Oaks. Prosecutors said Albin did not personally break the baby’s ribs, but they argued she knew enough, saw enough, and still did not act in time.
The baby’s father, Andrew Oaks, is separately accused of abusing Opal, including allegedly tossing her around “like a rag doll” and squeezing her. His case remains pending, and he has not been convicted of Opal’s death.
A Baby Who Lived Only Two Months
Opal Oaks was born on December 16, 2022. Her life ended on February 26, 2023, when emergency crews were called because the infant was not breathing. Responders tried to revive her, and hospital staff continued those efforts, but Opal was pronounced dead after just two months and ten days of life…