Ocean County Parents Charged in the Death of Their Baby Girl

LAKEWOOD PARENTS CHARGED WITH MURDER OF INFANT DAUGHTER

Ocean County Parents Charged in the Death of Their Baby Girl

According to the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, on May 7, 2025, Ruben Santiago, 36, and Caitlin Gibson, 28, both of Lakewood, were charged with Murder in connection with the death of their three month-old daughter.

On May 5, 2025, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Officers from the Lakewood Township Police Department responded to a residence on Pinehurst Drive for a report of a three month-old infant having difficulty breathing.

Responding Officers found the infant to be unresponsive. Lakewood Township Emergency Medical Services personnel thereafter arrived on scene and immediately began to administer medical attention to the infant.

The infant was transported to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick Township, and later transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) in Neptune. On May 6, 2025, the infant was pronounced deceased at JSUMC.

On May 7, 2025, the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office performed a post-mortem examination of the infant. The examination determined that the cause of the infant’s death was blunt force trauma to the head causing fracturing and subdural hematoma, and the manner of death to be homicide.

Both Santiago and Gibson - parents of the infant - were responsible for the child’s death. On May 7, 2025, both Santiago and Gibson were taken into custody at Lakewood Township Police Headquarters. They were subsequently transported to the Ocean County Jail where they are presently lodged pending a detention hearing.