BEEVILLE, Tx — The grandmother of the 9-month-old baby who died after being left in a vehicle for over 8 hours during the sweltering heat on Aug. 21 turned herself into police Tuesday morning.
Ruth Rodriguez, aged 69, surrendered at the Bee County Sheriff’s Office just before 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
According to Beeville Police Chief Kevin Behr, Rodriguez has been charged with criminally negligent homicide, and her bond is set at $50,000.
As KRIS 6 News previously reported, on Aug. 21, Rodriguez left her grandchild, Gabriella Ruth Arroyos inside a vehicle for several hours on the 100 block of East Flournoy Street during high temperatures.
Officers said when they arrived at the scene, Rodriguez was holding the 9-month-old child in her arms.
“She failed to check her back seat, she forgot the child was there and didn’t discover the child until 4 o’clock that afternoon,” Chief Behr said.
KRIS 6 got ahold of the affidavit for arrest against Rodriguez. In it, it describes officers at the scene speaking to Rodriguez. She told detectives she did not realize Gabriella was still in the vehicle until 3:50 p.m., when she was leaving to pick up her grandson from high school.
“It was my understanding her belief was she had already dropped her off at the daycare which obviously didn’t happen,” Chief Behr said.
Chief Behr said now Beeville Police Department will present this case to the district attorney which will then go to a grand jury.
“That’s why she’s being charged and will face trial,” Behr said.
The grand jury will decide whether to indict Ruth Rodriguez and hold her for trial.
