Officers responding to 67 Willow Ave. in Rockaway Borough found Joseph Tarquini IV, 30, and his infant daughter, M.T., who was in medical distress around 4:55 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2021, Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said in a joint release.
The infant was taken to St. Clare’s Denville Hospital for treatment and pronounced dead a short time later.
An autopsy found M.T.’s cause of death to be acceleration/deceleration head injury and ruled the manner of death as a homicide, Carroll said.
Tarquini faces second-degree charges of manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child. He was released in accordance with the Criminal Justice Reform Act and scheduled to appear in court.
Assisting agencies include the Rockaway Borough Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200.
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