UPDATE: Iowa City Police Investigate Baby's Death as 'Suspicious;' Stepfather Held on Separate Charge

Iowa City Police are investigating a local baby's death they call "suspicious," and have arrested a man at the same address where the baby was found.

Officials responded Monday to a 911 call reporting a baby with difficulty breathing at an apartment at 2018 Waterfront Drive. The child was taken to where he was later pronounced dead. The child has been identified as 20-month-old Marcus Balderas.

According to an Iowa City Police press release, autopsy results are pending.

"A preliminary autopsy has been conducted, though the final results are not yet available and a cause of death has not been confirmed," the release said. "The death is being treated as suspicious."

Police were recently at the same address . A criminal complaint says Jorge Perez, 20, who lives at the Waterfront Drive location, was charged for allegedly leaving his 20-month-old stepson at home alone for as much as 20 minutes. Police have not said whether the baby was the same boy who died.

Perez was arrested Monday for leaving the boy alone the previous week. He is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond at the Johnson County Jail.

The Iowa City Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Department of Human Services, and the Johnson County Attorney's Office are conducting a joint investigation into the death. 

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