Police Investigate Toddler's Death In Gloucester Township

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Gloucester Township police and the Camden County Prosecutor's Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a toddler at a home on Marcia Court in the Sicklerville section of Gloucester Township.

Police were called to the home at about 11:41 a.m. Thursday morning for an unresponsive 18-month-old boy, the prosecutor's office said Friday morning.

Arriving officers found the baby on the front lawn. EMTs responded and attempted to save the baby, but were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead on the scene just after noon. Autopsy results are pending.

No arrests have been made. Police are searching for the mother's boyfriend as a person of interest in the case, according to NBC 10.

The usually-quiet neighborhood was shaken by the news Thursday night, as families stood outside watching the scene. Police cars were lined up along Hickstown Road at the corner adjacent to the scene, and the front yard was sectioned off with police tape Thursday night.

A neighbor who declined to be identified told Patch the mother came to her door, knocking frantically and asking her to call 911 Thursday morning.

"She was slamming on the door, asking me to call 911 and asking if anyone knows CPR," she said.

The neighbor called 911 and she and her friend tried to help the mother perform CPR on the 18-month-old child. Arriving officers and EMT tried to perform CPR, but the baby was pronounced dead on the scene.

The mother said she was getting ready for work and had put the baby down for a nap, the neighbor said. When she returned to the crib, she found the baby unresponsive and immediately went to neighbor's houses seeking help. No one else was home at the time, according to the neighbor.

The neighbor described the baby's face as discolored. It wasn't clear if there were any other injuries, marks or bruises from what they could see.

The woman and her family have lived in the neighborhood for about a year, the neighbor said. She had never met her before, but other neighbors have described her as a "loving, caring mom."

Anyone with information is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective James Brining at 856-225-8439 or Gloucester Township Police Detective Joseph McGuire at 856-228-4500. Tips may also be emailed to ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org.

Photo credit: Anthony Bellano