Lakewood parents charged with murdering baby

🚨The parents of a 3-month-old were charged with murder

🚨The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head

🚨The actions that led to the girl's death were not disclosed

LAKEWOOD — The parents of a 3-month-old baby were charged with murder.

Police were called to the girl's home on Pinehurst Drive around 7:30 p.m. Monday on a report that she had difficulty breathing.

After life-saving procedures had been used, the child was taken to HMH Ocean University Medical Center in Brick. The baby was later admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where she was pronounced dead on Wednesday.

A post-mortem exam by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, causing fracturing and subdural hematoma. The manner of death was homicide.

Investigators blamed Ruben Santiago, 36, and Caitlin Gibson, 28, both of Lakewood, for their daughter's death. They were taken into custody at Lakewood police headquarters and are being held at the Ocean County Jail until their detention hearing.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer did not disclose what exactly the parents did to the child.

2nd infant death in Lakewood in 2025

On April 1, a 4-month-old died after being left inside a sweltering minivan by his father, Moshe Ehrlich, 35.

Ehrlich's wife told investigators that he was tasked with dropping off four of his six children at school, which was one more child than usual, as their 6-year-old son had missed the bus.

Ehrlich was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and released from custody.

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