San Jose: Homicide declared for April death of 2-month-old baby after findings of malnourishment, physical abuse

SAN JOSE — The death of a 2-month-old boy earlier this year in San Jose is now being investigated as a homicide after coroner’s officials declared that he was malnourished and had suffered serious head blows, authorities said.

No arrests have been made, according to San Jose police. Santa Clara County officials told this news organization that the child, Charles Zheng, was not the subject of any referrals with the Department of Family and Children’s Services prior to his death.

Officers were called to a local hospital the evening of April 4 regarding Charles’ death, in accordance with county child-death protocols. San Jose police said homicide detectives — who are summoned as standard procedure for child death cases — interviewed the infant’s parents and collected evidence.

However, the child’s cause of death was not declared until Dec. 8, when the county Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office finalized its autopsy and death investigation. The agency’s conclusion, as outlined in the infant’s death certificate, was that Charles suffered from “combined effects of blunt force injuries of head, severe malnourishment and dehydration,” and that the infant was the “victim of repeated child abuse and neglect.”

In the same document, the coroner’s office declared that the manner of Charles’ death was a homicide. San Jose police have not disclosed further details, citing an ongoing investigation.

The county Department of Family and Children’s Services declined to go into detail other than to confirm that Charles was in the care of of his parents at a home when he died, and that the agency is investigating the case alongside local law enforcement.

A county spokesperson added that there were no prior child-welfare referrals involving the family, and that “the first connection with DFCS for this child and for this family was (a) referral at the time of the infant’s tragic death.”

The death marks the 34th homicide of the year investigated by San Jose police.

Anyone with information for investigators can contact the SJPD homicide unit at 408-277-5283 or email Detective Sgt. John Van Den Broeck at 3829@sanjoseca.gov or Detective Amanda Estantino at 4339@sanjoseca.gov. Tips can also be left with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867 or svcrimestoppers.org.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.