An 11-month-old girl reportedly died after she was fed a lethal dose of magnesium in an attempt to treat constipation.
On Dec. 7, 2021, Enma Medina, 38, of Palisades Park, took her 11-month-old daughter, Genesis Catalan-Medina, to the home of Elida Ofelia Medina-Ramos, 73, also of Palisades Park, because the infant was sick and the mother asked the older woman “to evaluate her.”
According to Medina-Ramos' statement, she massaged the baby’s stomach and treated her with a liquid substance via oral syringe to alleviate constipation. The liquid substance reportedly included contents such as magnesium, olive oil, and water, New York Post reported.
After ingesting the liquid substance, within minutes, the baby went into convulsions. Medina-Ramos then told the mother to call 911 for help. When the police subsequently arrived, the mother told them that she believed her daughter was choking. Following this, a rescue squad from Englewood Hospital soon arrived and transported Genesis to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Following the incident, an investigation was launched, during which Detective Frank DeCicco observed Medina-Ramos removing what appeared to be numerous medical syringes from a dresser drawer, NJ.com reported.
They also noticed her allegedly disposing several boxes of medicines and vitamins from a drawer, including one called “raw liver,” and trying to toss them out.
Following the incident, Medina-Ramos was taken to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Medina-Ramos admitted that she had given the baby the liquid substance using an oral syringe and that the baby suffered an adverse reaction within minutes.
She also told the investigators that she’s not licensed to practice medicine in the U.S. and stated that “this has never happened to her in all her time of treating children.”
It was later found that she had been treating children for many years, including Medina’s now-15-year-old son when he was younger.
On Jan. 3, 2022, a toxicology report found that baby Genesis, whose death has been ruled a homicide, had a high level of magnesium in her system.
Both women were arrested on Monday, Feb. 14. Medina-Ramos is being held at the Bergen County Jail pending a court hearing. She has been charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, unauthorized practice of medicine, and child endangerment.
Meanwhile, the mother was arrested on a child endangerment charge and subsequently released.
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