Camden Baby Dies of Malnutrition

In Camden, N.J., a 5-month-old baby boy is dead of malnutrition and his parents have been charged in the infant's death.

According to authorities, the medical examiner's report said that when the baby died, he was, "incredibly gaunt and emaciated." Now authorities believe he got that way because his parents didn't feed him properly.

"This is clearly the most horrendous case of child abuse and neglect we've seen in Camden County," said Vincent Sarubbi, Camden County prosecutor.

Police have arrested Teyrrell W. Minerva and Chinyere J. Onuba, who live on 31st Street in Camden. They have been charged with aggravated manslaughter. Prosecutors said that the two parents were responsible for the death of their son, Gabriel Minerva.

Police said that they found the baby Friday. They said that when they entered the home they found deplorable conditions. There was a dead rabbit in the living room, a dead dog and fecal matter in the living room. The cradle where the child was found was saturated with urine and there were cockroaches crawling in it.

Authorities said that the couple has been feeding their baby, but for the last month or so, all they've been feeding him is Carnation Baby Cereal with formula rice. The product is meant to be a supplement and it says on the can that it is not meant to be a sole source of nutrition. The couple was also feeding the child from a bottle and not from a bowl, as instructed.

"Clearly it's a case of abuse and neglect in its worse levels," Sarubbi said.

There were two other children in the house who are now in state custody.

According to police, the two parents have never been in trouble before, but now they are in jail under $250,000 bail.

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