3-year-old boy vomited for days before he died, Minnesota cops say. Caregivers charged
Three-year-old Eastyn Deronjic had been vomiting and almost passing out for nearly two days, but he never went to the hospital, Minnesota police told news outlets.
In the early hours of March 18, medical responders were called because the child was not breathing, Moorhead police said.
The toddler was rushed to the hospital, but he died, police said.
Following months of investigation, Eastyn’s two caregivers were accused of causing his death, police said.
Shiann Erickson, 21, and Rosa Garza, 24, were arrested and charged with murder on July 8, according to police. They are held in Clay County jail on a $1 million bond, Inforum reported.
The toddler’s autopsy report found the 3-year-old has sustained “28 blunt force injuries,” Inforum reported, and died from bowel perforation caused by a “single blow.”
According to the medical examiner, the child could only survive a few days with the injury, Bring Me The News reported.
Eastyn had been in the care of Erickson and Garza since August, but the child’s mother said she had seen him two weeks before his death, KVLY reported. Court records said she noticed the child’s bruises but said it was because he was clumsy, according to the outlet.
Erickson told investigators that Garza would get angry and hit the child, KVLY reported.
“Eastyn was a very outgoing vivacious little boy who loved to play with his Nerf Guns,” his obituary said. “He called them his ‘pu pu’ because every time the toy guns were fired, they sounded like that noise. He especially enjoyed playing with his uncle Imor and thought of him as a brother.”
Erickson and Garza were also caring for Eastyn’s younger sibling, who is now in protective custody, police said. The investigation into the toddler’s death is ongoing.
Moorhead is about a 230-mile drive northwest from Minneapolis.
This story was originally published July 10, 2024 at 11:03 AM with the headline "3-year-old boy vomited for days before he died, Minnesota cops say. Caregivers charged."
