An Arizona couple faced child abuse charges following the death of their 1-year-old son on Sunday.
Braydon Pena and Shania Harris, both 25, contacted 911 saying they discovered their son was dead after waking up. Pena mentioned he got breakfast for himself and Harris before they returned to bed — resulting in Scottsdale police concluding that their son had not been checked on for 16 to 20 hours, according to KPHO.
Pena apparently informed the police that they put their son to bed around 10:30 p.m. on March 23 and checked on him at 6 p.m. the following day because they found it unusual that he was quiet for so long, as reported by KPHO.
The responding officers supposedly found the baby boy discolored and stiff in his playpen. Additionally, KPHO mentioned that evidence indicated Pena and Harris moved him into the playpen.
The media outlet also stated that the deceased baby had scabs on his face and leg. Police asserted that the apartment was untidy and it was evident that the baby had not been bathed recently.
Harris stated her son had hydrocephalus — a condition described by the Mayo Clinic as an “accumulation of fluid in cavities in the brain.” The fluid buildup creates pressure on the brain.
Pena reportedly confessed to using drugs, but would not disclose whether he had used them recently. KPHO reported that Child Protective Services had previous interaction with Pena and Harris. However, it is unclear why the agency was involved.
[Featured image: Braydon Pena and Shaniah Harris/Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office]