Katlyn Pineda
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CANDID ID: NY_23_628
AGE
7   years
STATE
New Jersey
DATE OF DEATH
5/1/2023
DEATH RECORDS
Not Available
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On January 13, 2022, 7-year-old Katlyn Pineda drowned in the pool at the Melville Marriott Hotel on Long Island, New York, where she was staying with her mother, Erica Baez, her mother's boyfriend, and her 5-month-old brother. Despite hotel staff warning Baez that no lifeguard was on duty and that she must remain present with her daughter at all times, Baez repeatedly left the child unsupervised in the pool to sit at the hotel bar. She also left her 5-month-old son unsupervised in their hotel room. After approximately an hour of intermittent absences, Baez returned to find her daughter floating lifeless in the pool. First responders found Katlyn in cardiac arrest and were able to restart her heart via CPR, but she sustained irreversible brain damage from oxygen deprivation. Katlyn remained dependent on a ventilator and feeding tube at a long-term care facility in New Jersey until her death on May 1, 2023. Baez was subsequently indicted for Second Degree Manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?

The news article explicitly describes a drowning incident: "A mother is facing a manslaughter charge in the death of her 7-year-old daughter who drowned in a hotel pool on Long Island." The article further states Baez "returned to the pool and discovered her child floating lifeless in the pool."

Is there any mention of a firearm incident?

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

The news article describes extensive inappropriate supervision. The mother "left her child alone in a hotel pool," then "left her daughter to sit at the hotel bar. About 30 minutes later, she returned to check on her daughter, who was still unsupervised in the pool." She then "left her a second time, then went upstairs where her 5-month-old son was staying also unsupervised, before returning to the bar for a second drink." Hotel staff had explicitly told her "she was required to be present with her daughter at all times" and that there was no lifeguard on duty.

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

Individuals Involved

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Was a biological father involved in the death?

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

The news article identifies Erica Baez as the child's biological mother. Baez is the one who left her 7-year-old daughter Katlyn Pineda unsupervised in the hotel pool, leading to the child's drowning. She was indicted for Second Degree Manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment.

Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?

Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?

Was a foster parent involved in the death?

Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Was a sibling involved in the death?

Child Characteristics

Was the child adopted?

Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?

Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)

The news article states: "She remained dependent on a ventilator and feeding tube for the remainder of her life." Although this physical disability resulted from the drowning incident rather than being a pre-existing condition, the text explicitly mentions the child's dependency on a feeding tube and ventilator.

Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

The news article states: "Erica Baez, 41, has been indicted for Second Degree Manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment, the Suffolk County District Attorney said on Tuesday." It further states: "Baez was arraigned on Tuesday and ordered held without bail."

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

The news article states: "Baez was staying at the Melville Marriot Hotel along with her boyfriend, her 5-month-old son, and her 7-year-old daughter, Katlyn Pineda." The fatal drowning incident occurred in the pool of this hotel.

Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

The news article states that Baez "left her daughter to sit at the hotel bar" and later describes her "returning to the bar for a second drink." While the text does not use the word "alcohol" explicitly, sitting at a hotel bar and ordering drinks strongly implies alcohol consumption by the parent/caregiver during the period of neglect.

Notable Details

The news article contains several notable details: (1) After finding her daughter floating lifeless, "Baez removed her socks and shoes and set her phone aside before removing her daughter from the pool," suggesting a deliberate, unhurried response before rescuing the child. (2) Baez lied to first responders, telling them "her daughter had only been alone for five minutes" when the investigation indicated the child had been unsupervised for approximately an hour. (3) The child survived the initial drowning but suffered irreversible brain damage and "remained dependent on a ventilator and feeding tube for the remainder of her life," lingering in this state for over 15 months before dying at a long-term care facility in New Jersey on May 1, 2023. (4) Hotel staff explicitly warned Baez there was no lifeguard and she was required to remain present, yet she left the child unsupervised multiple times to drink at the hotel bar.

Lives Cut Short