Father arrested after death of 1-year-old son who was found unresponsive at Palmdale park
The father of a child who was found unresponsive at a Palmdale park on Wednesday and later died at a hospital has been arrested, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a written statement that Shaffer Grindstaff, 29, was arrested on suspicion of accessory to conceal a crime and child endangerment. No further details on the case were released Thursday.
Grindstaff's 1-year-old son, Cameron Flores, was found unresponsive shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday at Melville J. Courson Park in Palmdale, according to a statement from sheriff's officials.
"When deputies arrived on scene, they contacted the father of the child, who stated his young son suddenly began suffering from a medical emergency at the park," the department said.
Fire paramedics transported the boy to Antelope Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Homicide detectives say a cause of death for the child remains under investigation. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said an autopsy has not been conducted and cause of death is unknown but in its records doctors noted "other significant conditions" may have contributed to the boy's death.
Initial reports indicated deputies had used Narcan, an anti-opioid overdose medication, on the child, but investigators determined that was not the case.
A witness told ABC7 news that the incident started inside a parked car.
"Next thing you know, the cop gets the dad out of the way and starts doing CPR as well, and pulls the kid out the car, puts him on the floor and completes doing CPR on the kid," the person, who declined to be identified, told the news station.
Neighbors said the child lived with his father in an apartment across the street from the park.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
