East Haven, CT — The father of a 7-month-old baby who drowned in a bathtub last fall has been arrested and charged in connection with the child’s death, East Haven police confirmed Tuesday.
Angel Marcus Rodriguez, 29, was taken into custody at his home on March 31. He faces charges including second-degree manslaughter, two counts of risk of injury to a minor, and two counts of reckless endangerment in the second degree.
The baby, Angel Josiah Rodriguez, was found unresponsive in a bathtub at a Redfield Avenue home on October 6, 2024, police said. Medics from the East Haven Fire Department attempted lifesaving measures, but the child died after being transported to Yale New Haven Hospital.
According to police, Rodriguez left the infant and another young child alone in the tub while he was in a bedroom down the hall, speaking on the phone. He later told investigators he had left the baby seated in an infant bathing chair with the faucet running on a trickle. A family member found the baby unresponsive.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined on December 3 that the cause of death was drowning.
At Rodriguez’s arraignment Tuesday, prosecutors argued the child’s death was preventable and requested $500,000 bond and GPS monitoring. His defense described the incident as an accident, noted Rodriguez has no prior convictions, and cited a pending case in Waterbury and minor mental health challenges.
The judge set bond at $200,000, and the case has been transferred to Part A court, which handles serious felonies. The next court date is scheduled for April 16.
