Memorial Set for Castroville Baby Found Dead in Salinas Field

The grieving family of a 10-month-old Castroville girl found dead Tuesday plans to hold her funeral in Salinas on Monday and her mass and burial the next day, the girl's grandmother said today.

A memorial service and viewing for Angelle Jenisis Negron will be held at the Alta Vista Mortuary, 41 E. Alisal St. from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday in Salinas, followed by an evening service there at 7 p.m., said Pompey Morales, Angelle's grandmother.

The girl's funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Refuge Church, 11140 Preston St. in Castroville, followed by her burial at the Castroville District Cemetery at 8442 Moss Landing Road in Moss Landing, Morales said.

Angelle was born last April 16 in Santa Cruz, according to an online obituary on the Alta Vista Mortuary's website.

She was found dead in a field off Market Street yesterday just outside the Salinas city limits after her family reported her missing Saturday, according to the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.

The girl's family had left Angelle in the care of Jesus Vargas Espinoza of Castroville, the boyfriend of the girl's mother, Susan Morales, on Feb. 2 but he did not return her as promised, Pompey Morales said.

Espinoza, 47, was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday and booked into the Monterey County Jail by the sheriff's office on suspicion of murder, child abduction and child endangerment in connection with the baby's disappearance.

Espinoza could be arraigned on the allegations as early as 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas, Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Hulsey said.

The district attorney's office was still reviewing investigative reports today and so the arraignment may be postponed, said Hulsey, who is part of the office's child abuse and sexual assault section.

There is no report yet from the county coroner's office about the cause of Angelle's death, Hulsey said.

No one aside from Espinoza, who is being held without bail, is expected to face charges in the infant's disappearance and death, Hulsey said.

A memorial trust fund account in care of Angelle Negron has been set up with Bank of America to receive donations to help pay for her funeral expenses, Morales said.

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