A 55-year-old Connecticut babysitter is accused of running over a 2-year-old child in her custody after the toddler opened one of the vehicle’s rear doors and tumbled out while unrestrained in the backseat. Maria V. Santiago was arrested on Monday and charged with four charges of endangering a minor and one count of failing to use a child restraint system, authorities said.
According to a probable cause document, police from the Clifton Police Department responded to a 911 call at 3:14 p.m. on May 14, 2024, regarding a vehicle collision involving a 2-year-old child on Sunnybrook Lane in Clinton, approximately 40 miles south of Hartford.
When first responders arrived at the scene, they spoke with Santiago, who was on his way home after picking up an 11-year-old child at the bus stop. Santiago claimed she was “negotiating a left curve” when the youngster “opened the passenger side rear door and fell from the vehicle.” She then stopped the car on top of the youngster.
Santiago also left three small children, ages 9, 4, and 2, alone in her home as chicken boiled on the stovetop. The 9-year-old told police that Santiago was their babysitter and that she picked up the 11-year-old child from the bus stop almost every day. The 9-year-old girl also stated that it was the first time Santiago had left her in charge of the younger children at home.
Police then spoke with the 11-year-old who was in the car with Santiago and the victim when the accident occurred.
“The [11-year-old] told [police] that Maria never had the child wear a seatbelt, so the child was ‘loose’ in the back seat,” according to the declaration. “The [11-year-old] reported that while going around the curve in the road, the child opened the back door and fell out of the vehicle. The [11-year-old] said [police] that Maria was screaming and asking her what they should do.
When the 11-year-old entered the car, she said that the 2-year-old was “not in his car seat and was standing up on the floor behind the driver’s seat.” She also stated that Santiago appeared to be driving “faster than usual” on the day of the accident.
“[11-year-old] stated that as they took the sharp left curve (on Sunnybrook Lane) the little kid slid across the back seat and ended up near the rear passenger side door just behind her,” according to the complaint. “She said she turned her head to make sure he was okay, and when she looked back, the back passenger door was open.” She said the little boy opened the car door and slipped out.”
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The toddler was taken by EMS to Yale New Haven Hospital for treatment of “suspected serious physical injuries” and was reported as being “in and out of consciousness.” He was admitted to the hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and his status following his first treatment was redacted from the paper.
Santiago was also sent to the hospital because she was experiencing a panic attack.
The state attorney’s office then requested that the Connecticut State Police Collision Accident Reconstruction Squad go to the site.
A witness told police that he was at his home around 3 p.m. when he heard a woman screaming outdoors and went to check. Outside, he noticed Santiago standing next to the automobile that had stopped in the middle of the intersection. He also noted that a toddler was “trapped underneath the rear passenger side tire.”
“[The witness] explained that the child was laying supine parallel with the vehicle and the rear tire was on top of the child’s legs,” according to the declaration. “[The witness] stated that the child appeared to have been run over by the vehicle,” stated he quickly told Santiago to call 911 and back the truck to avoid hitting the child’s legs.
Santiago was released with a written agreement to appear in court on July 30.