Father Held On $50K Bail In Death Of 7-Month-Old Daughter In 'Deplorable' Home
WARWICK, R.I. (CBS/AP) – A father has been charged in the death of his 7-month-old daughter in Rhode Island.
Police were called to a home on Airway Road in Warwick around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and found little Willow Ramos wasn't breathing. She was rushed to Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence where she died.
The girl's father, 37-year-old Ryan Beeley, is charged with felony cruelty to or neglect of a child. He was ordered held on $50,000 surety bail Wednesday afternoon in the Kent County Court House.
Investigators say Willow's mother came home just before 7:30 p.m. and found the little girl unresponsive in a bedroom. A roommate who police say is not connected to the case called 911.
"(She) heard screams from the mother and initiated the actual 911 call at her behalf," Warwick Police Major Brad Connor told reporters Wednesday.
Authorities say the infant had been home alone with her father.
Police say it appears the girl's death was unintentional and she had no visible physical injuries. An autopsy is expected to determine the cause of death.
Beeley was initially taken to the hospital as well for a medical issue. According to police, he apparently suffered a panic attack and was eventually moved into their custody.
No one else has been charged at this point in the investigation.
PRIOR ARRESTS
Police told WPRI-TV Beeley and the girl's mother had been living together with Willow in the home, but they are not married.
Beeley had reportedly been arrested 10 times between 2003-2013, mainly for domestic and drug issues.
WELL-BEING CHECK
Authorities say they received a call from relatives in August to check on the well-being of Willow, but police determined there were no issues.
"There were some other family members who had showed up at the residence at the time and had questioned their ability to take care of the 6 week old," Connor said. The Department of Children and Families was notified about the call.
'DEPLORABLE' CONDITIONS
When police returned Tuesday night, they said conditions in the home were "deplorable."
"You don't want to ever respond to any type of fatality but when it's a 7-month-old child it particularly hits home," Connor said.
"It's tragic for everybody. Most importantly it's tragic for the family (and the) responding officers."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports
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