Woman charged with manslaughter in Kane Co. baby death
A 37-year-old woman who was staying near Aurora for the last month while she received assistance from a church has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of her 14-month-old daughter, the youngest of her nine children.
Gloria Gomez faces up to seven years in prison for the felony charge; Kane County Judge James Hallock set her bail Tuesday at $250,000.
With the involuntary manslaughter charge, prosecutors do not have to prove that Gomez intended to kill her child.
Authorities said Gomez admitted to striking the baby, Aleidy Gomez, who was found during her autopsy to have a hemorrhage in her throat, a lacerated liver, two lacerated kidneys and three broken ribs.
Even if Gomez posts bond of $25,000, she will not be free pending trial because Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a hold on her, authorities said.
At a bond hearing Tuesday afternoon, Hallock read a sheriff's department synopsis of what happened to the infant.
Gomez, a temporary landscape worker who is currently unemployed, and four of her kids were renting a room at a home on the 1000 block of Bryant Street in Aurora Township.
A juvenile from another family staying at the home called 911 at about 2:45 a.m. last Thursday after the baby was unresponsive and not breathing.
There were no obvious outward signs of abuse on the baby, who died at Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora a short time later.
But an autopsy Friday revealed significant internal injuries and Gomez on Monday admitted to authorities to striking the baby “numerous times forcefully,” Hallock said.
Amy Dunn, a detective with the Kane County Sheriff's Department, said Gomez's three other male children who were living with her — ages 3, 5, and 8 — were placed by the Department of Children and Family Services into foster homes.
Gomez, who does not have a previous criminal record, also has five other children who reside in Mexico; authorities do not know their ages.
She is due in court again on July 6.