Missing Child Found In Container With Cord Around His Neck Dies
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - A 2-year-old boy who was reported missing on Monday at an apartment complex in Lakewood and later found in a container has died.
According to Steve Davis with Lakewood Police, just before noon officers responded to a call about a missing 2-year-old male at an apartment in the 2500 block of South Sheridan Boulevard.
"The caller indicated that the child had been missing for about 10 minutes," Davis said in a statement. "Within a few minutes the injured 2-year-old male was located inside in another area of the apartment."
The child was found in a container with a lid on it and a cord wrapped around his neck.
"They found the little boy in a container … I don't know what kind of container, but obviously he had stopped breathing, so they tried to revive him … and then the ambulance comes a little bit later; and we were like, 'Why are they so late?' So they carry the little boy and he's just like lifeless. I don't know if he's alive or not," neighbor Madeline Huerena said.
"The child was unconscious and immediately transported to a local hospital," Davis said.
Police tried to resuscitate the child. Paramedics also tried as they rushed him to the hospital. He arrived in critical condition and was declared dead at 2 p.m.
It's not clear whether it was an attempted murder or an accident, and police conducted interviews of family members.
"Also in the apartment police contacted the mother of the child and two or three additional adults," Davis said. "Detectives are interviewing several people and associates of the family and do not believe there is any danger to the community."
Huerena later learned that the boy was her nephew's son. Family members tell CBS4 the toddler's name was Donnie.
Detectives were requesting a search warrant to continue their investigation of the apartment. They still hadn't obtained one by 7 p.m.
"Our people have absolutely no idea whether we have some kind of an accidental situation or whether it's criminal in nature," Davis told CBS4 at the scene. "We will treat the scene as though we have a crime until we know differently."
Suzanne McCarroll is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. Her stories can regularly be seen on CBS4 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Connect with her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @SuzanneCBS4.
