Injuries That Killed 3-Month-Old Ocean County Baby Were 'Devastating,' Doctor Says

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A 3-month-old baby who died May 6 had suffered "devastating" injuries that led to her death, according to the Ocean County Medical Examiner.

The baby also had seven broken ribs and a fractured wrist that were in the process of healing at the time of her death, Dr. Elizabeth Rouse said in her report following the autopsy she conducted on the baby, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.

The infant's parents, Ruban Santiago, 36, and Caitlin M. Gibson, 28, have been charged with murder in their daughter's death. They are being held in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River.

Lakewood police responded to a 911 call about 7:20 p.m. on May 5 for an infant having difficulty breathing and found the baby unresponsive, the prosecutor's office said. She was taken to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick then transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. She was pronounced dead shortly before 11 a.m. the next day, the affidavit said.

At the hospital, Gibson and Santiago told officers the baby had been vomiting and had diarrhea starting on May 3 and they had taken her to the hospital on May 4, where the baby was given intravenous fluids and discharged, according to the affidavit.

They told authorities she had seemed better but vomited "once or twice" on May 5. That evening, Santiago changed the baby's diaper and put her in an infant chair between 6 and 7 p.m. Gibson found her limp about 7:20 p.m. and called 911, according to the affidavit.

Rouse ruled the baby's death a homicide due to blunt force trauma that caused factures and a subdural hematoma, the affidavit said.

Rouse also found the baby had seven broken ribs and a fractured wrist, "both of which began the healing stages indicating past traumatic injury," the affidavit said, and not the result of CPR performed to try to save the baby's life.

Following the autopsy, Santiago and Gibson were arrested.

Gibson declined to talk to investigators, but Santiago offered several explanations for how the baby had been injured. One explanation he gave was that he had dropped a glass bottle on the baby's head on May 5, the affidavit said. He also said he had dropped the infant while picking her up from a bouncer, first while crouching over the bouncer, but then changing his statement to he was standing at the time.

Santiago told authorities the baby hit her head on the metal support of the bouncer, or may have hit her head on the TV stand, the affidavit said.

Investigators relayed Santiago's statements to Rouse, who said the injuries the infant suffered were "devastating" and "sustained from substantial force, compared to the level of force experienced by a significant motor vehicle crash," the affidavit said.

Gibson's detention hearing is set for Monday and Santiago's is set for Tuesday, the Asbury Park Press reported.