Katlyn Pineda of Queens was found unresponsive in the swimming pool of the Melville Marriott on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. She remained in a coma until she died of her injuries on Monday 1 May, according to Suffolk Police.
Pineda’s mother, Erica Baez, was arrested in Manhattan on suspicion of manslaughter following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives on Monday, May 15.
Baez was staying at the hotel with her boyfriend, her 5-month-old son and daughter Caitlin, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
According to reports, on the day of the incident, Baez asked hotel staff to open the pool door of the indoor atrium pool.
Staff warned her that she would need to babysit the girl as there were no lifeguards on duty.
Despite the warnings, Bates left Kaitlyn to play in the pool alone while she sat at the hotel bar eating alcoholic cocktails, prosecutors said.
She reportedly checked on the girl half an hour later, found she was still unattended, and left her a second time alone.
Baez then went upstairs to check on her young son, who was also left unattended, according to prosecutors.
It took another 30 minutes — during which time prosecutors said she had a second drink — before Baze returned to the pool, where she found her daughter floating lifeless.
Prosecutors said she took off her shoes and socks and put her phone aside before jumping in to save the girl before finally grabbing the child.
Medics found Kaitlyn had no pulse and went into cardiac arrest.
She spent nearly two months in the pediatric intensive care unit of Cohen Children’s Hospital, where she remained in a coma until her death, before being transferred to a long-term care facility in New Jersey.
“The heroic efforts of Melville Fire Department paramedics and EMTs successfully restarted Kaitlyn’s heart, but the damage to her brain from the lack of oxygen is irreversible and she remains dependent on a ventilator and feeding tube,” Suffolk said. the county attorney’s office said in a statement.
According to investigators, Baez told first responders that Kaitlyn was only there for five minutes.
“The alleged actions of this defendant were selfish, stupid and heartless,” said District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “We will do everything in our power to ensure justice for Caitlyn Jr., whose brief Life ended too soon.”
Baez was arraigned in Suffolk County Court on Tuesday, May 16, charged with one count of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
The judge ordered her held without bail. She is due to appear in court again on Wednesday, May 24.
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