A mother and a daughter accused of operating a non -licensed nursery center in California were accused of involuntary homicide after a 3 -month -old boy died, the Sheriff’s office of Monterey County said Sunday.
The authorities were sent on Friday morning to an address in Royal Oaks, a community near Salinas, where a child did not breathe, said the Sheriff’s office. The baby received treatment to save lives on the scene and was taken to a hospital, but was declared dead a short time later, the authorities added.
Up to 30 children of various ages were under the care of Maria Márquez, 62, and his daughter Johanna Márquez, 35, according to the Sheriff’s office.
The detectives “were able to gather enough details to arrest the two operators of the nursery business without a license for involuntary homicide that is believed to resulted in the death of the three -month -old baby,” Sheriff’s office said in a press release.
The suspects, who remained on Monday in the Monterey County prison, also face danger charges for serious crimes and operate a non -license nursery center. His bond was set at $ 50,000 each. It was not clear immediately if they have legal representation.
The Sheriff’s office said Monday that he continues his investigation.
The Community Attention Licensing Division of the California Department of Social Services regulates the number of children allowed in a nursery site and establishes certain requirements for staff members, including pediatric CPR and first aid training and child development courses.
Children’s deaths in child care centers in California are rare, and three from 2017 to 2023 were reported, according to state social services data.
“There are certain workouts that people who work and operate these facilities have to pass, and the State Licensing Board is constantly inspecting,” said Sheriff’s commander Andrés Rosas to the NBC KSBW affiliate from Salinas. “Therefore, those standards that have to meet are those that give it a little more peace of mind that your child is safe in this particular place.”
