Jonathan Navarrete-Turcious, 30, and Blanca Rosa Reyes, 24, of Wheaton, Md. face multiple charges, including second-degree murder, after their 2-year-old son Matthew Navarrete-Reyes died from dehydration, oral trauma and pneumonia.
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WUSA reported that the baby’s mother found him “moaning and unable to support himself in his crib” around 4 a.m. on February 13. The child was taken to a hospital and died soon after. A medical examiner concluded that the cause of death was dehydration with oral trauma and pneumonia.
A police investigation was launched after the child died.
The parents said that the child suffered “several falls.” The mother later admitted to hitting the child in the mouth four or five days prior to his death as a punishment, which explains the oral trauma found by the medical examiner.
The parents, who also have three other children ages three, four and five, did not seek any treatment for the child’s injuries.
The children have been placed in the custody of child protective services.
Navarrette-Turcious and Reyes face a litany of charges, including neglect of a minor, two counts of child abuse and second-degree murder.