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The victim was in the care of her grandmother, Jazmine A. Rodriguez, her grandfather, Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., and her uncle, Manuel Rodriguez, Jr., in Reading when she died of dehydration and prolonged exposure to high ambient temperature due to child neglect on May 28, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said.
All three were charged with Criminal Homicide, Unlawful Restraint/Serious Bodily Injury, False Imprisonment, Endangering the Welfare of Children, Reckless Endangering Another Person, Tampering, and Conspiracy, on Monday, Aug. 5, the DA detailed.
On May 28, Reading police were called to a home on the 1200 block of Schuylkill Avenue where they learned that the child had been placed in an ambulance and had been dead for "a period of time," Adams said.
Further investigation found the girl had been in a soiled diaper for several days before her death leading to severe diaper rash, police said. Lack of air circulation and the temperature of the air in the room in which the victim was sleeping may have reached 100 degrees with 90 percent humidity, police said.
"The condition of the victim at the time of her death is consistent with the victim being locked in the room for more than 3 days," Adams said. "The manner of death has been ruled a homicide."
School teachers described the girl as being loving and affectionate, in the affidavit of probable cause. They also said the grandmother had strict rules to follow in caring for the child and threatened legal action if they weren't followed by staff members.
This is a developing story. Check back for more.
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