Police Announce Arrest of Mother, Boyfriend in Toddler’s Death

Pasadena police today announced the arrest of a mother and her boyfriend in connection with the death yesterday of their two-year-old child.

Police say that Maria Peleaz, 29, and Gabriel Diaz, 32, both of Pasadena, were arrested last night. Bail has been set at $1 million for each.

Detectives say they are investigating the case as a homicide.

The child, Rene Torres, was declared dead in a residence in the 500 block of Summit Avenue by paramedics responding to the mother’s 911 call about 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, authorities say.

The suspicious nature of the child’s death led detectives to open an investigation into the case, police say.

“It is standard procedure to begin an investigation into the death of any individual that has died suddenly with no apparent cause, particularly the deaths of childre,” Pasadena Chief of Police Bernard Melekian said in a written statement. “It is unfortunate that too many times, we find that children have died at the hands of another and it is particularly disturbing when the evidence leads us to those who are the primary caretakers.”