Parents Seek Answers After Infant Dies at South L.A. Day Care
More than a month after his son’s death at a day care in South Los Angeles, Marcos Moreno still doesn’t know why or how he died.
Moreno told KTLA that his wife dropped off his 3-month-old son Joseph at Valenzuela Family Day Care Angeles on Sept. 16 for his second day at the facility.
When his wife returned to pick up her son she noticed that something was wrong. The caretaker insisted that the baby was just sleeping, but his mother called authorities and the baby was taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead, Moreno said.
The emergency room doctor told Moreno that the baby had been dead for more than an hour.
Moreno said he got to the hospital to give his son one last kiss, but he was already dead.
Los Angeles Police Detective Matthew Spillane said the investigation into the baby’s death is ongoing and authorities are waiting for the coroners officials to determine the cause of death. That determination could take up to six months because of a backlog, Spillane said.
Detectives have reviewed surveillance video from the daycare and have found no signs of foul play in the death of the infant, the detective said. The family and the daycare have been cooperative during the investigation, he added.
Moreno said he would like to review the footage himself and does not want to wait six months for answers. He and his wife have two other children, ages 4 and 12, one of which also attended the day care.
“I’m feeling so devastated knowing that I trusted this place,” Moreno said.
A sign from the Department of Social Services posted outside the day care on Sept. 27 says the facility is closed for business and the license is suspended.
KTLA attempted to reach the owner of the facility, who did not want to be interviewed.
KTLA’s Irving Last contributed to this story.
tags: Local News Los Angeles Police Department Marcos Moreno South Los Angeles