44-Year-Old Grandmother & 46-Year-Old Grandfather Were Charged On Monday For The Death Of Their Granddaughter
Wednesday, August 7, 2024, 10:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
READING, PA.- On Monday, August 5, 2024, the Pennsylvania grandparents of a 6-year-old girl who was found dead in a soiled diaper in a hot room where she had allegedly been locked inside for days back in May 2024 have been taken into custody and charged in connection with the child’s murder.
On Monday, following an investigation, Jasmine Rodriguez, 44, and Manuel Rodriguez, 46, both of Reading, Pennsylvania, were taken into custody and formally charged with Murder; Unlawful Restraint; and False Imprisonment. Police are still searching for the child’s uncle, 20-year-old Manuel Rodriguez, Jr., who was also been charged in the investigation.
According to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, the charges stem from an investigation that unfolded on May 28, 2024, when members of the Reading Police Department responded to a residence located on the 1200 Block of Schuylkill Avenue in the City of Reading, after receiving a report of a young child in cardiac arrest.
Upon arrival, Police Officers and First Responders found a 6-year-old girl unresponsive. The child was placed inside an ambulance and was pronounced deceased.
A subsequent autopsy performed by the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be extreme dehydration and prolonged exposure to heat, and the manner of death due to child neglect and homicide.
Further, authorities have revealed that the little girl had been left in a soiled diaper for several days before her death, which had caused severe rashes on the child’s buttocks and lower back.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with additional information regarding the tragic death of this child is asked to contact the Reading Police Department at (610) 655-6116 or the Berks County District Attorney’s Office at (610) 478-6000.
“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
