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Ontario man charged after police investigate death of infant

Ontario police arrested an Ontario man last week after the suspicious death of a 10-month-old infant. (The Enterprise/FILE).

ONTARIO – A 24-year-old Ontario man was arrested and lodged in the Malheur County Jail last week and charged with causing the death of an infant.

Sergio Manuel Diaz faces charges of criminal negligent homicide and first-degree criminal mistreatment – both felonies – and his bail was set at $100,000, said Dave Goldthorpe, Malheur County district attorney.

Goldthorpe said police were called after the mother of the infant, Lizette Fierrof, 23, Ontario, brought the child to the Saint Alphonsus Medical Center Ontario before midnight Nov. 24.

Goldthorpe declined to provide many details about the incident, the sex of the infant or the injuries to the child because it is still under investigation.

“There was enough concern for the doctors to notify the police,” said Goldthorpe.

Goldthorpe said the child was eventually transported a Boise hospital where the infant died.

“He (Diaz) was the person who the child was in the care of when it entered its medical emergency. That is why he was arrested,” said Goldthorpe.

According to Goldthorpe, Fierrof told police Diaz was her roommate.

Diaz was arraigned last Friday and his case will go before a grand jury sometime this week.

“It is a horrible thing when you hear that an infant died. We will do our part of our job now,” said Goldthorpe.

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