Baby sitter pleads innocent to shaking baby to death in San Diego

Friday December 06, 2002

SAN DIEGO (AP) A live-in baby sitter accused of causing the injuries that led to a 10-month-old infant's death pleaded innocent Friday to felony assault.

Jose Manual Rosales, 20, was held on $1 million bail. He pleaded innocent to a charge of assault on a child under age 8 with force likely to cause death. Prosecutors said murder charges could be filed against Rosales after further investigation.

Prosecutor Charles Lindberg said Rosales told police he threw the child, Brandon Olquin, into the air several times while playing roughly with him and that the child had fallen to the ground. Rosales, who also goes by the name Manual Rivera-Reyes, initially told authorities the boy had fallen out of his crib.

Police Wednesday responded to a call for help from a neighbor of the boy. Upon arrival they found a neighbor and Rosales giving Olquin aid. The infant died Thursday at Children's Hospital. He had suffered from head trauma and brain damage, according to Jennifer Thompson of the County Medical Examiner's office.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Dec. 19.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)