Clinton Babysitter Charged After Child Fell Out Of Moving SUV: Warrant

CLINTON, CT — A 55-year-old babysitter is facing felony charges after state police say an unrestrained 2-year-old boy in the backseat of the car she was driving opened the door, fell out and was run over.

Police said when the incident occurred, three other young children under the woman's care were left home alone with food cooking on the stove.

Maria Santiago, of Clinton, turned herself into Troop F in Westbrook on Monday on an arrest warrant that charges her with four counts of risk of injury to a child, and transporting a small child without proper restraint, according to her arrest report. Santiago was released on a written promise to appear; she's scheduled to appear in Middletown Superior court on Tuesday.

According to an arrest warrant, the Clinton Police Department received a 911 call reporting an incident involving a car and a 2-year-old on Sunnybrook Lane in Clinton around 3:15 p.m. on May 14.

Police said Santiago was driving a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander and traveling along a left curve when "the child opened the passenger side rear door and fell from the vehicle landing on the roadway. The vehicle's left rear tire then came to rest on top of the child."

An 11-year-old girl, who Santiago had just picked up from the bus stop, was in the front seat at the time of the incident, police said.

According to the 11-year-old, the boy was standing on his car seat when Santiago yelled at him to sit down, which he did, the warrant says. The 11-year-old told police that Santiago "never has the child wear a seatbelt," and that the child is "really loose" in the backseat, the warrant states.

Santiago appeared to be driving faster than usual and rushing, the 11-year-old told police, and as they took a sharp left curve on Sunnybrook Lane, the 2-year-old slid across the backseat and ended up near the rear passenger side door, the warrant said.

When the girl turned her head to see if the boy was OK, she noticed the rear passenger door was open, the warrant said.

After the boy fell out, Santiago was screaming for help and asking what to do, the 11-year-old told police, according to the warrant. When the 11-year-old got out of the car, she noticed the boy was lying on his back and the rear tire was partially on top of him, the warrant states.

A man in a nearby home came outside after he heard a woman screaming and found the boy trapped underneath the vehicle, the warrant said. He rendered aid to the boy, told Santiago to put the car in reverse and call 911.

Police redacted the extent of the boy's injuries in the arrest warrant, but called them "serious." He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit within Yale New Haven Children's Hospital.

Santiago, who was suffering a panic attack, was also taken to the hospital for treatment, the warrant noted.

At the time of the incident, three other children who were supposed to be under Santiago's supervision — ages 9, 4 and 2 — were left at home with chicken boiling on the stove, the warrant said.

Police spoke to the 9-year-old, who said she was left in charge while Santiago went out to pick up the girl, who lives next door, at the bus stop.

Santiago declined to be interviewed by police, as did the 2-year-old's parents, the warrant said.