By Raul Castillo
Mar 28, 2024, 3:55 PM EDT
The tragic death of a 1-year-old boy in Arizona has shocked the community and resulted in the arrest of his parents, Braydon Jesus Peña and Shania Darlene Harris, both 25, for child abuse and neglect. Authorities reported that the baby’s parents left him alone in his crib for hours while they slept.
The incident occurred on Sunday, March 24, when Harris called 911 to report that her son was not breathing, according to reports published by Law&Crime.
Upon arriving at the scene, emergency services found the child lying in his crib with signs of rigor mortis, indicating that he had died hours earlier. The police also noted that the room and the child had not been properly cared for, with the presence of scabs on the child’s skin and an obvious state of disarray in the apartment.
“The rigor and lividity were also observed to be inconsistent with the way the baby was positioned at the time of the officer’s arrival,” a probable cause affidavit obtained by KPNX reportedly said.
The child had hydrocephalus
During an interview with police, Peña explained that her son had hydrocephalus, but was not taking medication and had not shown any concerning symptoms prior to his death. The couple admitted they left the boy unattended from Saturday night until Sunday afternoon, when they discovered he was unconscious.
The parents also revealed that they did not have cameras or baby monitors in the house and that instead of checking on the child, they chose to sleep after purchasing breakfast at Burger King.
During the police interview, Harris allegedly told Pena not to say anything and needed to get a lawyer. Both are being held in the Maricopa County Jail on $100,000 bail and are scheduled to appear in court on April 3.
This tragic incident has sparked a debate about the importance of proper supervision and care of children, reminding everyone of the need for caution and responsibility in caring for the most vulnerable. The community is shocked by this loss and it is expected that the case will continue to generate attention in the coming days.
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