Day Care Workers Released as D.A. Investigates Infant's Death

Three day care workers arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter involving an infant that died under their supervision last month were released Wednesday pending further investigation.

Claudia Gil, the 44-year-old owner of the Magic Place Children’s Center where the incident occurred, as well as employees Sandra Del Socoro Alvarado Mendez, 49, and Lorena Huitron Jiminez, 28, were arrested at the at 1055 Las Ovejas Drive day care center after it closed for the evening Monday. When arrested, suspects must be charged within 48 hours or released, according to District Attorney Ed Berberian.

“The case is under investigation and review,” Berberian said.
The arrests were predicated on the Marin County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division's report Monday after a forensic examination and autopsy of the infant, who died Oct. 23 at Kaiser Hospital in San Rafael, where he was taken after he stopped breathing.

Late Monday afternoon, the Coroner determined that the baby’s cause of death was asphyxia due to suffocation, due to obstruction of the external airway by bedding, police said. The manner of death was ruled accidental.

San Rafael Police detectives and the State of California Community Care Licensing Division conducted concurrent investigations into the circumstances of the infant’s death. According to Berberian, there will be an additional investigation to decide if they should be charged.

“Hopefully a decision will be made within the next couple of weeks,” he said.

See what else is happening in San Rafael:

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2. Police Arrest Three Day Care Workers in Fatal Infant Asphyxiation
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