Dad accused of killing infant son had been freed from prison due to COVID, CA cops say
A Stockton man who was released early from state prison due to COVID-19 concerns is now accused of killing his 2-month-old son, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.
Matthew Garcia, 24, was sentenced to up to three years in state prison on Jan. 28 after pleading guilty to attempted robbery and burglary, District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said in a news release.
Under California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s guidance on limiting the prison population to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Garcia was released on Aug. 4, 2020, and put on parole.
On Nov. 11, the Stockton Police Department got a call about an infant boy hospitalized at UC Davis Medical Center with “injuries consistent with child abuse,” the district attorney’s office said. The baby died on Nov. 14 and detectives say they arrested Garcia, the baby’s father, after hearing about alleged child abuse.
“We are deeply heartbroken for the victim and his family, and we will do everything in our power to seek justice for Baby Boy Garcia,” Salazar said. “During these unprecedented times, it is more important than ever to report abuse — whether it be domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, or sexual assault — by contacting the local authorities.”
Garcia was scheduled to be released in December “after serving his full sentence as defined by the law,” CBS Sacramento reported, citing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Angela Hayes said they didn’t get the identities of the people released during the pandemic and that Garcia’s felony burglary and attempted robbery convictions weren’t considered “violent crimes under the law,” according to the station.
Garcia, originally scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 17, wasn’t taken to court and a new date will be scheduled, according to Salazar.
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Dad accused of killing infant son had been freed from prison due to COVID, CA cops say."