Police investigate death of South Chicago Heights baby
By Casey Toner ctoner@southtownstar.com June 6, 2012 2:46PM
Updated: July 8, 2012 6:52PM
South Chicago Heights police have a man in custody in connection with the death of a four-month-old girl.
Sophia Ortiz, 193 W. 31st St., South Chicago Heights, died at 8:55 p.m. Tuesday at Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, South Chicago Heights Police Chief William Joyce said.
The infant’s death was ruled a homicide by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office, due to multiple injuries and child abuse.
Police responded to a call of an unresponsive baby at 3 a.m. Monday in the 100 block of West 31st Street, Joyce said.
The baby appeared to have been shaken, Joyce said.
DCFS is investigating an allegation of death by abuse against the child’s father, agency spokesman Kendall Marlowe said. DCFS has had no previous investigations involving the girl’s father and he had no other children in his care, Marlowe said.
A South Chicago Heights man was taken into custody about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night, Joyce said. The Cook County state’s attorney is reviewing the case and charges are pending, he said.
“There’s absolutely nothing a four-month-old child could do that could warrant any type of physical abuse, especially something this tragic,” Joyce said.
Contributing: Sun-Times Media
