4-Year-Olds Are Suspected in Infant’s Death

A 5-week-old baby living with her family at a local shelter for the homeless has died of head injuries, and police suspect that two 4-year-olds are responsible for the death.

Sarah Franklin died last weekend, but police did not release details of the incident until after receiving an autopsy report that classified the death as a homicide.

The chief state medical examiner’s office determined that the infant died of severe head injuries. There were also bruises and bite marks on the body.

Sarah and her twin were left alone on a bed in their second-floor room at St. Luke’s Community Services family shelter while their mother, Suzette Franklin, went downstairs to sterilize a bottle, police said.

A neighbor entered the Franklin room and found Sarah lying on the floor, police said. The baby’s mother thought she had locked the door when she left, but one of the 4-year-olds suspected in the case showed police how to open the locked door.

The unrelated 4-year-old girl and boy suspected in the case lived near the Franklin room, police said. They have not been identified and will not be charged with any crime because of their age, police said.

Deputy Police Chief John Perrotta said the two children did not intend to kill the baby, although police still have not put together the events leading up to the death.