Melville Marriott on Long Island where 7-year-old Katlyn Pineda drowned in pool (Image via ABC 7 screengrab)
A 41-year-old woman from the Bronx, N.Y., faces indictments in the drowning death of her young daughter more than one year after the mother left the 7-year-old by a hotel pool unsupervised on Long Island, prosecutors say.
Erica Baez was arrested Monday, exactly two weeks after her daughter Katlyn Pineda’s May 1, 2023 death from the Jan. 13, 2022 incident at the Marriott Melville property on Walt Whitman Rd.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Katlyn Pineda’s heart stopped after the little girl left unattended by her mother plunged into the Marriott’s pool, causing “irreversible” brain damage.
“On May 1, 2023, Katlyn became septic and passed away,” prosecutors confirmed. The girl, who “remained dependent on a ventilator and feeding tube” after the incident, had been in the care of a long-term care facility in New Jersey, said the DA’s office.
Authorities alleged that Baez was staying at the hotel with her boyfriend, her daughter Katlyn, and her 5-month-old son, identified as M.S. in documents. In the afternoon, while her boyfriend was still at work, Baez allegedly left Katlyn by herself inside the pool’s gates and got some food and drink at the hotel bar rather than watching either of her children.
Prosecutors claimed that Baez was warned by hotel staff not to leave her daughter by the pool with no lifeguard but that the defendant did so anyway. Authorities further alleged that the mother left her 5-month-old son in a hotel room by himself as she consumed at least two alcoholic beverages and ate at the hotel bar.
“At approximately 3:30 p.m., Baez allegedly asked hotel staff at the front desk to open the pool gate for the indoor atrium pool. Hotel staff advised Baez that she was required to be present with her daughter at all times since there was no lifeguard on duty. Baez, however, allegedly left Katlyn playing inside the pool alone as she sat at the hotel bar eating and drinking an alcoholic cocktail,” prosecutors said in a press release. “After approximately 30 minutes, Baez returned to the pool to check on Katlyn, who was still unsupervised inside the pool, and then allegedly left her for a second time. Baez then went upstairs to her room, where her 5-month-old son was staying unsupervised, before returning to the hotel bar for a second alcoholic cocktail. The defendant allegedly did not return to check on Katlyn again for over 30 minutes.”
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Prosecutors also suggested that Baez was more concerned about breaking her phone and preventing her shoes/socks from getting wet than she was in diving right into the pool to save her daughter.
“When Baez returned and observed that her child was floating lifeless in the pool, she removed her shoes and socks and set aside her phone before removing her daughter from the pool,” the press release said.
The indictment charges Baez with second-degree manslaughter and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Baez is accused of recklessly causing Katlyn’s death, a felony punishable by up to 15 years, and “knowingly act[ing] in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental, or moral welfare” of both her children, two misdemeanor offenses.
Prosecutors said the suspect was ordered held without bail at her Tuesday arraignment before acting New York Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski.
“The alleged actions of this defendant were selfish, senseless and heartless,” Suffolk County DA Raymond Tierney said in a statement, slamming Baez. “We are going to do everything we can to ensure that justice is served for little Katlyn, whose short life ended too soon.”
The defendant’s next court appearance is currently set for May 24, the DA’s office said.
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