Parents Indicted In Death Of 3-Month-Old Daughter In Ocean County

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A Lakewood couple have been indicted in the death of their 3-month-old daughter in May, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.

Ruben Santiago, 36, and Caitlin M. Gibson, 28, both of Lakewood, were indicted Wednesday on a charge of murder, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Lakewood police responded to a 911 call on Pinehurst Drive 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 probable cause 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, the affidavit said.

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, the affidavit said.

Rouse ruled the baby's death a homicide due to blunt force trauma that caused fractures 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.

Santiago offered several explanations for how the baby had been injured, including saying he had dropped a glass bottle on her head, and that he had dropped the infant while picking her up from a bouncer, first while crouching over the bouncer, but later saying he was standing at the time, the affidavit said. He said 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 and Santiago were ordered held until trial and remain in the Ocean County Jail.