BAKERSFIELD — The parents of a three-month-old girl were arrested on suspicion of child abuse when their infant daughter died last week.
The parents, 21-year-old Erika Cervantes and 24-year-old Jesus Bautista, were booked into the Kern County Jail, both on four felony charges of willful cruelty to a child.
According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began on December 20, when deputies responded to Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield regarding a report of child abuse which had occurred in the 600 block of Curtis Drive in south Bakersfield.
When they arrived, deputies said they were told by medical staff that an infant had been brought to the hospital after having seizures and had difficulty breathing.
“Deputies also made contact with the infant’s mother at the hospital,” KCSO Public Information Officer Ray Pruitt said. “And after discovering that the three-month old had a twin and two additional siblings, ages one and a half and three years, deputies then responded to the family’s residence and contacted the father.”
While conducting a search of the residence, deputies said they found it to be infested with cockroaches and rodent feces. “Due to the condition of the home, detectives from the Sheriff’s Office Sexual Assault and Abuse Investigations Unit served a search warrant at and interviewed several family members,” Pruitt said. “The Department of Human Services was also notified and took the other siblings into protective custody.”
During the investigation the condition of the infant worsened and she was transported to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, where she died on December 21.
Detectives developed probable cause to arrest Cervantes and Bautista, and took them into custody on December 21, also at Valley Children’s Hospital.
The couple appeared in court on December 24, with Bautista pleading not guilty. His bail is set at $80,000, while Cervantes was bailed out.
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause and manner of death.
If anyone has information on this case they are encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 661-861-3110 or Secret Witness at 661-322-4040.
