Parents arrested after 6-month-old baby dies at Merced home, police say

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two parents are now in custody after their six-month old baby was found dead in Merced on Monday night.

Agents from Child Protective Services called Merced police after finding the child unresponsive at the family's home on Kernland Avenue.

The first officer on scene quickly started CPR but the baby was already dead.

Albert Brincat-Desales and Alina Beltran are each facing a charge of child endangerment resulting in death.

"We tried to work with both adult parents who were on scene to try to figure out what had happened, we didn't get much cooperation. Both advised they were asleep, did not know what happened to the baby," said Merced Police Cpt. Joey Perez.

Police have not said why CPS was visiting the house, but it was not their first time there.

"It was apparent that CPS has been there before, how many times in the history of that residence pertaining to CPS, I don't know," said Perez.

Police say six other children, ages 7 and younger, were living at the home at the time, and are now key witnesses to the investigation.

"We also need to conduct some specialized interviews with the six other children that were taken into protective custody to paint a better picture of what actually happened," Perez explained.

Neighbors say they are stunned and heartbroken, and told us the family was quiet and kept to themselves.

They said the potential crime that happened behind this closed door - unimaginable.

Detectives are waiting for the results from the baby's autopsy.

Once that comes back, Brincat-Desales and Beltran could face more charges, including murder.

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