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Middlesex County resident Maria Santiago, age 55, of Clinton, turned herself in on Monday, July 29, on four counts of risk of injury to a minor and failure to apply a child restraint system for the Tuesday, May 14 incident.
According to the Connecticut State Police, an investigation into Santiago began following the report of the minor child falling from her vehicle and being run over before being trapped under the rear tires.
An arrest affidavit said Santiago was babysitting several kids and went to pick up another child at a bus stop on Sunnybrook Lane when she placed the child in the backseat without a car seat or any restraint.
An 11-year-old girl who was with her at the time told troopers she never placed the child in a restraint, the affidavit said.
In the affidavit, an arriving officer said when they pulled up to the scene, Santiago was "screaming" and found the child under the wheels of the vehicle.
The officer instructed Santiago to call 911, removed the car from the child, and began offering emergency first aid until EMS arrived and transported the child, who was in and out of consciousness, to Yale-New Haven Hospital, the affidavit said.
Police said during interviews, they learned that Santiago had also left three children, ages 9, 4, and 2, at home alone while she picked up the other child with chicken cooking on the stove.
The 2-year-old who was run over sustained severe injuries, police said.
After being charged, Santiago was released from custody on a written promise to appear and is scheduled to appear at Middletown Superior Court on Tuesday, July 30.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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