Pennsylvania Charges 2 Parents With Homicide in 1-Day-Old Baby's Death
Updated
Updated · 13WHAM-TV · May 19
Pennsylvania Charges 2 Parents With Homicide in 1-Day-Old Baby's Death
15 articles · Updated · 13WHAM-TV · May 19
Berks County prosecutors charged Kevin Canaan, 28, and Yeniffer Tavarez-Cepeda, 25, with homicide, aggravated assault and child endangerment after their newborn son died a day after going into distress in a hospital maternity ward.
May 2 is the key window in the case: investigators said the seemingly healthy baby suffered injuries consistent with physical abuse—not childbirth—while under only his parents' supervision in a private room.
An autopsy found multiple traumatic injuries and ruled the death a homicide after the infant was flown for further treatment and died on May 3.
Prosecutors also allege both parents failed to alert hospital staff while the baby was in distress, adding a neglect element to the criminal case.
How can a newborn suffer fatal abuse inside a hospital maternity ward?
What drives new parents to fatally injure their baby just hours after birth?
The father acted erratically, so why was the mother also charged with homicide?