Parents Arrested In Death Of Toddler
EL PASO – Police arrested two suspects on Tuesday in the death of 3-year old Jacqueline Gonzalez. In custody are the victim’s mother and stepfather.
Yara Perez and Francisco Castaneda, Perez’ common-law husband have both been charged with injury to a child resulting in death, a first-degree felony.
Police said they found the body of the child in the trunk of her mother’s car around 11 p.m. Monday. Officers were initially dispatchedto an unknown emergency call at the Western Yarbrough Apartments.While the officers wereen route, details from the callerto dispatch meriteda check on the welfare of the young victim.
As part of the search, officers wanted to ensure Jacqueline wasunharmed and they asked the adults to allow them to see her. Police said they later located the body in the mother’s Dodge Stratus.
Detectives from El Paso Police’s Crimes Against Persons Division noted certain injuries that may have contributed to the child’s death. Final autopsy results are pending.
A five-year-old child was also found at the apartment and was turned over to Child Protective Services.The agency hassinceplaced the child with a foster family.
