BRISTOL, Conn — Two people were arrested for manslaughter in the death of a 4-year-old girl on Tuesday, Bristol and New Britain police said.
Rocky Hernandez-DeJesus, 31, and Ashley Hernandez-DeJesus, 28, were arrested in New Britain after an investigation was launched in June 2022. They were turned in to the Bristol Police Department.
The circumstances of the girl’s death – who has not been identified – were not immediately clear.
Ashley Hernandez-DeJesus was charged with manslaughter 1st degree, unlawful restraint 1st degree, intentional cruelty to persons, risk of injury to a minor, and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor.
Rocky Hernandez-DeJesus was charged with manslaughter 1st degree, unlawful restraint 1st degree, intentional cruelty to persons, risk of injury to a minor, conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor, and false statement.
The Department of Children and Families released a statement Wednesday in which it said that prior to the 2022 death of the child, the department did not receive any reports specific to the child, but did receive reports of the siblings of the child.
The last report received regarding the family was in February 2017, when the children and home were determined unsafe. The child's siblings were subsequently placed in a home with a relative. Once the little girl was born after the February allegations, she was also placed with relatives, said DCF in a statement.
The siblings remained with relatives as part of a permanency plan agreed upon by the court, department, and private agencies, while the child was reunified in 2019. The case was closed in 2019, which was the department's last contact with the family.
DFC said in a statement that they became involved again in June 2022 after a report was received of the child's fatal injuries. The department began a joint investigation with the Bristol Police Department to ensure the safety of the child's siblings.
The parents were processed and later released on a $250,000 cash surety bond. They appeared at New Britain Superior Court on December 28, 2022.
Jareliz Diaz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jdiaz@fox61.com
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