Iowa City Police Investigate Death at Home of Man Accused of Child Endangerment

Iowa City Police investigators are currently performing a death investigation at the home of a man accused of child-endangerment.

Vanessa Miller of the Gazette is reporting that police are at the home of Jorge Perez, 20, at 2018 Waterfront Drive #120.

Miller is reporting that the death investigation is tied to a police response yesterday to the same location.

On Monday, officers were called to Perez’s home just after noon on a report of a baby having difficulty breathing. Iowa City police Sgt. Denise Brotherton said that has turned into a death investigation.

According to criminal complaints, Perez was arrested and charged on April 26 with child endangerment after a "mandatory reporter" called social services to report that Perez had allegedly left a 20-month-old stepson at home for as much as 20 minutes.

The Press-Citizen is reporting that officers were called to the same address Monday for a medical assist. Iowa City Police Chief Sam Hargadine told the Press-Citizen that more details should be released soon.

These autopsies sometimes take a while,” Iowa City Police Chief Sam Hargadine said this afternoon. “We’re optimistic we’ll have a preliminary ruling this evening.”