Police say death of 1-year-old no longer suspicious

SALT LAKE CITY — Police are no longer calling the death of a 1-year-old girl Tuesday morning "suspicious."

"The Medical Examiner's Office ruled out our initial concerns," said Salt Lake Police Sgt. Shawn Josephson.

The exact cause of death was still unknown Tuesday afternoon. But Josephson said it was no longer being investigated criminally.

Police received a call for a "medical assist" about 4:40 a.m. from a home near 500 North and Irie Lane (1720 West), said Josephson. The child reportedly had some sort of breathing problem, he said. There were no obvious signs of trauma. The child was taken to Primary Children's Medical Center and was pronounced dead a short time later.

There was reportedly more than one adult home at the time of the incident.

Neighbors were saddened to hear of the death of the child. Lina Tapusoa, a relative who lives around the corner, said the infant was the youngest of five children in the family and was well loved by her parents.

 

"When that baby girl came into their lives, she was their everything, with the parents, with the siblings, they just loved her," said Tapusoa. "She was so spoiled, they were always carrying her, she was always dressed nicely. So, to hear this is just a shock to us."

— Pat Reavy, Shara Park Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam