Police Question Boyfriend of Woman Charged in Death
After being sought for questioning by authorities for more than three weeks, the boyfriend of a woman charged with killing a 14-month-old boy turned up at the Oxnard Police Department Wednesday.
Oxnard police questioned Patrick Santanillo, 31, for several hours after Santanillo arrived at the station late Wednesday morning.
He is not a suspect at this time, said Oxnard police Sgt. Jim Seitz. The investigation is continuing, Seitz added.
Santanillo’s live-in girlfriend, Teresa Rodriguez, 20, is charged with one count each of murder and child neglect in connection with the death of Ion Demitri Robledo on Oct. 22.
The child was pronounced dead at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard after Rodriguez took him to the emergency room when she noticed he wasn’t breathing. An autopsy revealed the child was underweight and most likely died as a result of physical abuse.
Toxicology reports have not been completed but investigators suspect that the boy had ingested heroin or another illegal drug in the days before his death. Rodriguez began taking care of the boy after his mother was ordered to serve a jail sentence.
After two postponements, Rodriguez’s arraignment is set for Nov. 21.
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