2 Arrested After Infant Dies at Allegedly Illegal Daycare in California

In Royal Oaks, California, a 3-month-old lost their life when an unlicensed daycare was set up. The tragedy came to light in the early hours of May 24 at around 10:30 a child became the subject of a report, and emergency services rushed to a private house in the community where the child had recently made a scene despite a huge presence of emergency crews. The 3-month-old baby was not only unconscious but had also stopped breathing. However, the baby could not be saved and was declared dead even though the first responders tried bravely and went for a quick transfer to the nearby hospital.

An observation by the officers made a previous assumption about the house being a daycare center; they discovered that the house was never licensed for this purpose and, in fact, it was an unlicensed daycare; there was one adult, possibly the caregiver, present at the time when the police arrived at the scene of the accident and it was learned that the woman was also taking care of 30 children at the same time.

At the end of the investigation, the police officers stated that they had gathered sufficient evidence to apprehend the two suspects, namely, Maria Marquez, aged 62, and her daughter, Johanna Marquez, aged 35, and that they were also involved with the said establishment. They were quickly caught and handed in for a wide range of charges including involuntary manslaughter, felony child endangerment, and unlicensed child daycare operation. The bail for one person can be set in the sum of $50,000.The cause of death of the deceased child remains a mystery at this point.

The people in the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office are still inviting anybody with more knowledge of the matter to identify themselves. Calling Detective Josue Ramirez at 831-253-6068 or sending an anonymous tip online can be the ways to come forward.
This is a very tragic occurrence that leaves us with a number of questions regarding the safety of our children, the supervision in the childcare field, and the dangers associated with the oversight of unlicensed facilities. Parents and guardians are informed that the verification of the licensing status and capacity of the providers of care is highly recommended.