Lakewood Parents Charged in Infant’s Murder
A Lakewood couple faces murder charges after their three-month-old daughter died from blunt force trauma to the head, authorities announced Wednesday. Ruben Santiago, 36, and Caitlin Gibson, 28, were arrested and charged following an autopsy that determined the infant’s death was a homicide, marking the second infant fatality investigation in Ocean County this spring.
Both parents are currently being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing, according to a statement from Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Emergency Response to Distressed Infant
The tragic sequence of events began Monday evening when Lakewood Township Police officers responded to a residence on Pinehurst Drive around 7:20 p.m. after receiving reports of a three-month-old infant having difficulty breathing. Responding officers found the baby unresponsive at the scene.
Emergency medical services personnel immediately began administering life-saving measures to the infant. The child was initially transported to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick Township before being transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.
Despite medical intervention, the infant was pronounced deceased at Jersey Shore University Medical Center on Tuesday, May 6.
Medical Examiner Determines Homicide
On Wednesday, May 7, the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted a post-mortem examination of the infant, which revealed the cause of death to be “blunt force trauma to the head causing fracturing and subdural hematoma,” according to prosecutor’s office documents. The manner of death was officially classified as homicide.
“The evidence uncovered during the examination clearly indicated this was not an accidental injury,” said a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the case publicly.
Following the medical examiner’s findings, a multi-agency investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Special Victims Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit determined that Santiago and Gibson were responsible for their daughter’s death.
Second Recent Infant Death in Ocean County
This tragedy follows closely on the heels of another infant death in the same county last month. On April 1, a 4-month-old died after being left inside a hot minivan by his father, Moshe Ehrlich, 35, in Lakewood.
In that separate case, Ehrlich was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and released from custody. Authorities described that incident as negligence rather than an intentional act, with investigators reporting that Ehrlich had been tasked with dropping off four of his six children at school, one more child than his usual routine.
“These cases are always difficult for everyone involved, from the first responders to the investigators,” said a veteran child welfare advocate who works with Ocean County families. “But it’s essential to determine the circumstances in each situation and respond appropriately.”
Community Impact and Response
News of the charges has shocked the Lakewood community, where neighbors expressed disbelief that the young parents now stand accused of murdering their infant daughter.
“It’s absolutely devastating to think about what happened to that baby,” said Sophia Rodriguez, who lives several houses away from the scene. “The whole neighborhood is in shock.”
Local religious leaders and community organizations have begun organizing support for extended family members affected by the tragedy. The Lakewood Resource and Referral Center has offered counseling services to neighbors and first responders who were at the scene.
Legal Proceedings Begin
Santiago and Gibson were taken into custody at Lakewood Township Police Headquarters on Wednesday and subsequently transported to the Ocean County Jail, where they remain held pending a detention hearing that will determine whether they will be released before trial.
If convicted of murder, both parents could face sentences of 30 years to life in state prison. The prosecutor’s office has not yet indicated whether additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
Police have requested that anyone with information relevant to the investigation contact the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit at 732-929-2027.
