Mother, grandmother arrested for alleged abuse that led to 5-year-old’s death

Update 9/19/22

News Channel 3 has learned that the child's grandmother Hilaria Rangel, 55, and mother Vanessa Rangel, 37, were charged with murder and child endangerment of four more children, ages 6, 9, 11, and 13.

Court documents obtained by News Channel 3 show a third woman, identified as Miriam Silva, is also charged with murder in the case.

Original Report 9/14/22

A mother and a grandmother of a 5-year-old child who died last week were behind bars today on suspicion of child abuse resulting in death.

Sheriff's investigators searched a residence in the 51500 block of Date Street at 7 p.m. Tuesday, where they arrested the deceased child's mother, according to Sgt. Ben Ramirez with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Ramirez said the child's grandmother was identified as a second suspect and arrested at a separate location in Coachella.

They were both being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on $1 million bail.

Neither person has been charged by the Riverside County District Attorney's office as of Wednesday. Both are scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

Deputies from the department's Thermal station responded to the 50400 block of South Kenmore Street at about 7:50 p.m. last Thursday to administer medical aid, Ramirez said.  

They were directed to a 5-year-old child who was not breathing, according to Ramirez. Despite efforts from the deputies and Cal Fire medics who performed lifesaving measures, the child died at the scene.

The investigation was ongoing and anyone with information was asked to call Investigator Lopez from the Thermal station at 760-863-8990 or Investigator Alfaro with the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3528.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates on this case.