Mission Valley man arrested after death of 7-month-old daughter

ABC 10News Digital Team
Posted

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A Mission Valley man was arrested following the suspicious death of his 7-month-old daughter, according to San Diego Police.

Police said they received a call from the man around 6:34 p.m. Monday reporting that his 7-month-old daughter was unresponsive and not breathing outside the family's apartment on the 1400 block of Hotel Circle North.

When officers arrived, the infant was taken to the hospital, where she later died early Tuesday morning.

"Findings during medical treatment and evaluation of the infant revealed significant trauma to the infant, thus prompting a pediatric death investigation by the San Diego Police Department’s Child Abuse and Homicide Units," police said.

A preliminary investigation indicates that the 7-month-old died "at the hands of another person," police added.

The infant's father, identified as Rafael Santos, 38, was arrested and booked into jail for murder and child abuse causing death.

Anyone with information is asked to call SDPD’s Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.