Man Arrested in the Death of His Baby Nephew

A 20-year-old man was arrested in the death of his baby nephew, who died Sunday after an 18-hour struggle on life support systems.

Sherman Robert Corwin Jr. surrendered to police Sunday outside a Pacific Bell administration and operations center in Tustin about 4:30 a.m., about seven hours after the 18-month-old baby--who was no longer breathing--was discovered by his parents, Fountain Valley Police Sgt. Darryl Nance said.

Gregory F. Negri and his wife, Cheryl Negri, had gone out Saturday night, and left Corwin to watch their two children, Thomas and a 3-year-old daughter, at their Fountain Valley home. When the couple returned about 10 p.m., they found Corwin missing and Thomas lying lifeless in his crib, Nance said.

Nance said the infant was either strangled or suffocated. Police found “red marks around the baby’s neck consistent with strangulation,” Nance said.

The 3-year-old girl was not harmed, police said.

Police eventually trailed Corwin, who is Cheryl Negri’s brother, to the Pacific Bell facility in Tustin, where he reportedly worked as a security guard.

Corwin was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of murder. Bail was set at $1 million.

Cheryl Negri found her son and called for help shortly after 10 p.m., Nance said.

“She was frantic,” Nance said.

Condition Had Been Critical

The baby had stopped breathing and had no pulse when paramedics arrived at the family’s home in the 17000 block of Walnut Street. The child was resuscitated and taken to Humana Hospital-Huntington Beach and later transferred to Childrens Hospital of Orange County in Orange, where he remained in critical condition throughout the day.

“It is very grave,” said Frank Negri Jr., the infant’s grandfather, as he paced earlier in the day outside the hospital’s intensive care unit. Negri was one of several somber family members, including the infant’s young parents, gathered in a tiny lobby on the hospital’s fifth-floor, waiting for news of the baby’s condition.

“It is too tough (to) talk,” the grandfather said softly. “It is so tragic.”

Despite the doctors’ efforts, the baby died at about 5:45 p.m., police said.

Authorities would not speculate on a motive for the attack. The suspect reportedly had been discharged recently from the U.S. Navy, but it is not known why he was released, Nance said.

Neighbors said Gregory Negri had moved with his wife and two children into the modest, single-story home on the corner of Walnut and La Colonia streets about six months ago. In recent weeks, Corwin had often been seen around the house. Several neighbors thought that Corwin may have been living with the family.

Sirens Blaring

One neighbor who was home Saturday night said what unfolded outside the Negri’s house Saturday night “was something out of a TV cop show.”

With sirens blaring, several patrol cars, a paramedic unit and an ambulance descended on the neighborhood, about a block north of Slater Avenue just west of the San Diego Freeway.

When the Negris returned home, Corwin’s car was in the driveway, but he was not in the house. By the time paramedics and police arrived, the Corwin’s car was gone.

“We knew that he had worked or was working in some capacity at the Pac Bell facility, so we put out the word,” said Nance, adding that the couple alerted police that Corwin was probably armed with a small-caliber rifle.

About 2:30 a.m., Tustin police spotted Corwin’s car with the rifle inside at the telephone center at the corner of Red Hill and Edinger avenues. More than 1,000 people, including operators, work at the facility, but the last shift on Saturday ended at midnight.

Police searched the grounds around the facility, but did not enter the building, Nance said. About two hours later, Corwin called Tustin police and said he wanted to surrender. About 4:30 a.m., he walked out of the building and was arrested.