NJ parents charged with infant’s brutal murder — M.E. calls injuries ‘devastating’

A New Jersey couple is finally facing justice for allegedly beating their 3-month-old daughter so severely that the medical examiner compared the force to a “significant” car crash.

Ruben Santiago, 36, and Caitlin M. Gibson, 28, were hit with charges on Wednesday for murdering their daughter, who was not named by Ocean County prosecutors.

The couple was first arrested on May 7, the day after their baby girl was rushed to the hospital.

Santiago and Gibson called 911 at 7:20 p.m. on May 5, seeking help for an unresponsive baby that was reportedly having trouble breathing.

Caitlin M. Gibson is being held until her trial on charges she fatally abused her baby. Ocean County Dept. of Corrections

The infant was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered she had brain bleeding as well as seven broken ribs and a fractured wrist.

The little girl died the following morning.

Police interviewed her parents at the hospital, and were told the baby began vomiting and experiencing diarrhea on May 3. Prosecutors said the couple took her to the hospital on May 4, and she was discharged after receiving fluids intravenously.

Santiago told authorities he went to change the baby’s diaper between 6 and 7 p.m. on May 5, and found her body limp at about 7:20 p.m.

Ruben Santiago allegedly changed his story about how the child was injured, authorities said. Ocean County Dept. of Corrections

The baby’s death was ruled a homicide due to blunt force trauma to the head that caused a skull fracture and subdural hematoma.

Santiago told cops he had dropped a glass bottle on the baby’s head, but later changed his story — instead telling authorities that the child slipped from his hands as he was removing her from a bouncer.

The dad claimed the baby hit her head on the bouncer’s metal support or possibly hit her head against the TV stand, according to prosecutors.

The medical examiner, however, told investigators the infant suffered “devastating” injuries, “sustained from substantial force, compared to the level of force experienced by a significant motor vehicle crash,” according to the affidavit.

Gibson and Santiago are being held until trial, which does not have a scheduled start date yet.