Baby-sitter charged in death of 9-month-old

Baby-sitter charged in
death of 9-month-old
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD — A borough woman has been charged with second-degree aggravated assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child following the death of a 9-month-old baby on Nov. 21.

According to Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor Robert A. Honecker Jr., authorities allege that Flor De Los Angeles, 25, an illegal alien from Mexico, "shook the baby, who then became unresponsive."

Honecker said the baby, Leslie Evelyn Juarez-Paliero, was taken by De Los Angeles to Dr. Kenneth Faistl’s office on Broad Street where attempts were made to resuscitate her. She was then transported to CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, where additional efforts to save her were unsuccessful. The child was pronounced dead at 12:50 p.m.

Honecker said De Los Angeles had been left in charge of the baby on the morning of Nov. 21. The child’s father, Hiloario Juarez-Capulin, dropped off the baby at De Los Angeles’ apartment at 7:40 a.m. The baby sitter tried to put the child to sleep on a blanket in her apartment but the baby kept crying. At that point, according to Honecker, De Los Angeles picked up the baby and "shook her."

De Los Angeles’ apartment is in the Parker House condominiums, Broad Street. The child’s family lives in the same complex.

De Los Angeles was arraigned in state Superior Court, Freehold, on Nov. 24 where she was ordered held on $250,000 bail.

The initial results of the autopsy completed on the baby revealed that the shaking caused the baby’s brain to swell. Officials are waiting for additional test results, for which Honecker said there is no timetable.

Honecker said Assistant Monmouth County Medical Examiner Dr. Frederick DiCarlo is now conducting advanced forensic testing to definitively determine the cause and manner of the child’s death. Pending those results, Honecker said, "We will wait to determine to see if these charges [against De Los Angeles] will be upgraded."

The charges may be upgraded to murder or manslaughter, he said.

The assistant prosecutor said he believed the baby’s parents would be sending the infant back to Mexico for burial.