Two-Year-Old Lakewood Girl Found In Septic Tank Died Of Drowning
Child had been playing in the back of her Spruce Street home, Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford says
An autopsy of a 2-year-old Lakewood girl found in a septic tank Monday showed that accidental drowning was the cause of death, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office reported Tuesday afternoon.
There was no sign of foul play or trauma, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford.
Prosecutors will continue to investigate the incident to rule out any criminal action that could have contributed to the death, Ford said.
The autopsy was conducted by Ian Hood, who has served as chief medical examiner for Burlington County.
At the conclusion of the investigation, Ford said, prosecutors will share their conclusions with the Child Fatality Review Board, which independently evaluates the circumstances of an unattended child fatality.
“I would like to thank the many members of law enforcement, the volunteer and compensated emergency services, the State Police and members of the public for their speedy response to this emergency," Ford said. "I know we all mourn the loss of this innocent little girl.”
Police tape nearly surrounded the site Tuesday where the 2-year-old girl, only known as J.C., was found dead at the bottom of a septic tank last night as prosecutors continued to investigate the tragedy.
Tape labeled "Crime Scene/Do Not Cross" blocked off a vacant house where children's toys sat in the yard, as police and media descended on the scene.
The girl's mother, Marina Matias, called police at 4:49 p.m. to report her child was missing. Police and emergency service personnel went to the East Spruce Street home and began searching for the little girl, Ford said.
The mother was inside the house tending to a 2-month-old baby while her four other children played in the backyard, Ford told Patch late Monday night.
The mother spent about 20 minutes frantically searching for the child, then called police, said Ford.
The search teams found a 3-foot wide hole in the yard, apparently leading to an uncovered septic tank. Lakewood Public Works was called in to pump out the water in the tank, Ford said.
"At approximately 7:30 p.m., the water level had been dropped and police and emergency personnel unfortunately made visual observation of the body of a child in that tank," she said.
Emergency crews were able to remove the child's body from the septic tank at 10:33 p.m., Ford said.
"It was a difficult process to try and bring the body out," she said.
The child was pronounced dead at the scene by the Ocean County Medical Examiner, Ford said.
Ford said it was unclear whether the family knew the hole was in the backyard, or if the uncovered septic tank was operational.
"I don't have the answers," Ford said. "Obviously we haven't been able to interview the family."
The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the Lakewood Police Department are conducting the investigation, she said.
"We all join in expressing our sympathy to the family of this child," Ford said. "I ask that the media be respectful of their privacy at this time."
Anyone with any information should call Detective Sgt. Carlos Trujillotovar at the Prosecutor's Office at 732-929-2027.
holyhhh
3:33 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
This property looks like it should have been condemned long ago...
Joseph Woolston Brick
3:34 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Couldn't read past the headline. I hope every one that hears about this story, checks their old septic tanks and makes sure there all safe so that this will not happen again.
barbara
4:34 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Such a sad thing. As far as the shape of the property- how can anyone with a conscience collect rent on these places? There are far too many of these places in Lakewood - just drive down Rt. 88 and you'll see many of them. How can you charge people to live in them? For shame!
Securevelope
6:03 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
My mother worked for NYCHA and I can tell you that the tenants play a huge hand in the condition of those rentals as well. there's nothing stopping any one of them from picking up a garbage bag, rake, shovel and a hose and tidying up the place. Because you are poor does not give you free license to be a slob and destroy the landlord's property.
Now, I'm not sticking up for slumlords! No way am I doing that, but sometimes a decent landlord is fighting an uphill battle with some of those tenants. I know this first hand.
Sadly, this child suffered from everyone's neglect. No one wins here and everyone is to blame. I cannot see how you don't know there's a gigantic hole in your yard.
Eggs-n-Toast
6:54 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Securevelope, That is all well and good for the INSIDE of any rental home. Tenants should keep their home as clean and neat as is possible- like it was their own home. BUT, the outside maintenance of the home and yard is the responsibility of the landlord- NOT the tenant. It is up to the landlord to make sure gutters aren't hanging, doors and windows are secure and unbroken, fences are maintained, Trees, shrubs and walkways are maintained, driveways are repaired, also that the houses are painted and well-kept to the standards of the neighborhood.
It is apparent that none of that was done for this house.
I seriously doubt that tenant brought in the rusty old sheets of metal, buckets, wood and other junk you see strewn about the yard and leaning up against the fence around the property.
I also seriously doubt a rake and a hose-down would have much of a difference either- that house is nothing more than a shack on a junk-filled dirt lot.
Lakewood should condemn it and ALL the other dilapidated rental clap-traps they have in town that are passed off as "affordable housing" for the poor.
Sophia Loyd
7:51 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
@eggs.. 98% of the time, the materials you see on those properties are brought in by the renters. They bring materials home from work or things they find on the road and will just keep piles and piles on the property. Also, many rental houses in Lakewood are rented to illegals and if they owned the house or rented it.. it would look the same. Now, I am not saying this in poor choice.. I work in Lakewood many people around my job are owned by the folks who live there, the houses look just about the same.
As for the maintenance to the property, some landlords & tenants agree the tenant will take care of the house inside and out--not all but some. We do not know what their exact situation was so we really can not speculate. We do not even know if they were renters.
Point being, who is anyone to make judgements on their home-- for good or bad that is where they lived.
Mrgrumpass
6:21 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
This is the second child’s death in less than a month do to the lack of parental supervision, this is unacceptable.
NJerseyMom3
7:58 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Lack of parental supervision? Kids playing in their own backyard should be ok. Would I leave a 2-year old outside- No, but every culture is different. Of course not with a gaping hole leading to a septic tank in any case. It may be the owners liability to maintain the house but a tenant could (and did in this case) be DEAD RIGHT. If your kids are playing in an area, than it's your job as a parent to make sure that area is safe or you don't let your kids play there. My daughter is in a rental for college. I visited and there were no carbon monoxide detectors. The girls said, oh that's the landlords responsibility and we asked him about that last year! I asked them if their lives were worth $30? I told them they could be DEAD RIGHT if there were a problem. We bought them and installed them. Same here.
NJerseyMom3
8:02 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
My condolences to the family. It is beyond sad to comprehend their loss.
Saylind
7:18 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Eggs and toast I rent in Brick amd we are responsible inside and out according to our lease for everything and anytime except heat water air devices. Otherwise all matience and upkeep improvements etc must be made by us it's in our lease. Renting sucks it's hard and if someone would only give us a motrage we'd be living on our terms I follow rules pay someone else mortage plus more but still can't get a mortage I pay on time always have great reviews when we move on but due to one income and me disabled according to Amy company we don't qualify all our landlords love us though cause with their permission we do upgrades and most houses look better then when we left! Sad hard world if anyone sees this and wants to give us a mortage or rent a 3+ bedroom bath&1/2 in brick before June 1 were looking to rent or buy can't live on busy road anymore my 2 y/o is just starting to scare me kids will be kids and I'm only so fast due to my Dissablity
Sophia Loyd
7:55 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
@saylind, you are better off renting =) You get the benefits of being a homeowner & renter rolled in one in your situation minus the headaches of owning. Banks used to hand mortgages out to folks who had NO income at all, so now we're all suffering. If you are looking to rent in Brick, send me an email jxmlt87@yahoo.com so I have your email handy. I am all over town so If i see a for rent sign I can email you the number and location.
Eggs-n-Toast
9:11 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Yes, you are better off renting these days.... but you are not required by tenant / landlord law to be responsible for the outside, heat or cooling systems, or structural maintenance on the rental property.
You and your landlord can agree and put it in the lease, but that is not a "standard" lease arrangement, and you are under no obligation to agree to those terms.
Now, if the landlord is reducing your rent by an amount you think is worth it for doing upkeep and repairs, fine, that's your arrangement. But technically, you don't have to do anything other than cut the grass - if there is any - and shovel snow off the sidewalks. Unfortunately, most landlords know the state rules and guidelines inside and out, and most tenants do not. This is why tenants are most often taken advantage of, while landlords are not. I have been a very happy renter in Ocean County for many yrs. I have also owned a home as well. We prefer renting. And you know something? Had one landlord for 19 years, and then rented a different home from him again a year later. But I do know the rental laws because I had one other sucky landlord who was a huge jerk and tried to rip me off in several different ways. I moved out of his home soon as the year's lease was up. Back now with the landlord who appreciates what a great tenant I am, and I appreciate him and the lovely home I rent.
Sophia Loyd
7:53 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
@eggsn Yes, that is exactly what I said..
the one thing i hate about the internet, people read things and all of a sudden they are a professional on the subject. Very sad.
Eggs-n-Toast
7:18 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
" @eggsn Yes, that is exactly what I said..
the one thing i hate about the internet, people read things and all of a sudden they are a professional on the subject. Very sad."
No need to get defensive, nor take a snide tone. My answer was geared more towards "Saylind" not you. I was merely explaining (more clearly than you did) what is considered a "standard" rental lease and what she (Saylind) had. You might be surprised to find out how many tenants think they have no say in their leases and don't know the laws.
Sorry if that offended you. Well, no, actually I'm not sorry. But there was no intent to offend you just the same.
Bryan
7:30 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Didnt this say the house was vacant! We have a rental house by us & every tenant trashes it & the landlord fixes it after everone of them only to have it trashed again! No respect at all for peoples properity.
dan callahan
7:31 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
to all those people who are commenting on how lousy a mother this woman is. you should look up when the funeral is going to be and when you see her in her inconsolable grief and pain after losing a 2 yr old daughter you should tell her she should have thought more about planned parenthood or fixing the gutters . her little girl was outside playing with her siblings when this happened . but its so much braver to sit behind your computers nameless , faceless gossip mongers . why dont you show up at the funeral and give the people there your opinions.? thought not. after you go to church this sunday say an extra prayer so you dont rot in hell for your thoughtless comments.
Arlen
8:06 am on Monday, March 19, 2012
Thank you Dan, that needed to be said. Im glad you posted. My heart goes out to the family.
Bryan
7:36 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
@ saylin Sure there is a 3br 1,1/2,bath in Manchester on 571 that was recently trashed that could use a responsible tenant! 571 & maplewood
Jan Wheeler Lachowycz
7:51 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Why didn't the Ocean County ME do the post? Why was it done by the Burlington County ME?
Mr. ?
10:03 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
"We all join in expressing our sympathy to the family of this child," Ford said" Except here with comments on the Patch. You are correct Dan Callahan. What a disgrace. A two year old child died, and all that is being said is every thing other than sorrow. Rental discussions, corruption, section 8, tenant problems, neglegence ...everything but sympathy. How sad!! Maybe a month ago, a young child died when a TV fell on him. What great comments of condolences followed. What happened?
Xavier
7:17 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Welcome to the Internet, you must be new here. There's coffee, soda, and donuts on the table to the left.
Securevelope
8:03 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
@Eggs >>>
Of course I know the landlord is responsible for the outside and all the things you say, but if the landlord is not going to do it, what is stopping someone from taking the boards with nails off the damn floor and putting them to the curb? Take the falling gutters down, FILL IN HOLES, and other things so you dont' live in a garbage dump? NOTHING IS STOPPING "YOU". Cleaning up does not cost "you" money, only time.
There is no reason to live like a slob if the landlord won't clean up.
You clean up and either send him a bill or keep tabs and tell him you did his work for him and then ask to make an arrangement if you're so inclined. But again, because the landlord does not clean up does not mean you should act like your legs and arms are broken.
I've rented plenty in Lakewood and in NYC and I can tell you if you communicate with even the worst landlords you can get things done. Like you, I was always a good tenant and many times I did more than my share and the landlord was happy to have me do it as I saved him the bother.
I'm not saying if you're renting a $h&T hole that you need to make it a palace and go broke fixing someone's house, but you do the best you can with what you have at hand and keep it tidy.
Eggs-n-Toast
7:32 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Gee, I don't know what's stopping her, Secure. Do you?
Maybe she's too busy with 3, 4, 5 kids? Maybe she works a late shift, sleeps very little and takes care of house and kids all day? Maybe she's disabled in some way physically? Maybe she doesn't speak English very well and can't argue with the landlord who's been promising her it will be cleaned up?
Maybe she has no idea that house probably shouldn't have been rented out to anyone, especially with kids? Maybe she has no car or truck to haul junk away? Maybe she doesn't live in an area where they'd take that stuff from the curb on trash day? Maybe she's only lived there a few weeks or a few months- that house and yard have been that way for YEARS.
There could be a hundred more reasons [the tenant] didn't get out there and clean it up. But is that any reason the landlord should slide on this? Is that any reason the town of Lakewood shouldn't enforce their codes and standards against slumlords' properties?
I say place the blame where it belongs - on the slumlord and the town.
june bug
8:32 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Disgusting that The Patch allows such nasty comments on this thread. A child died, this family has suffered the most unbelievable loss...
TimeForChange
8:44 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Today, I celebrate the 11th birthday of my child that passed away 10 years ago. Some of the people on here posting comments, disgust me to no end. Your level of compassion and love of another human being has sunk to the level of a QWERTY keyboard.
A 2 year old child died and some of you can only find ways to point fingers for blame. We don't live in a perfect world and all of your "Monday Morning Quarterbacking" isn't doing a damn thing to console a person that lost a child. I know that pain all too well and have lived with it every day for the last 10 years. YOU DISGUST ME and may God help you. Hopefully, He will forgive you.
Project Bluebeam
8:51 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
I suppose it would be more appropriate to impede traffic on East Spruce St., hinder the investigation, annoy the neighbors, and set up a makeshift memorial of balloons and teddy bears? There is nothing wrong with Patch readers demanding answers, especially if a government official (or officials) turned a blind eye to flagrant violations of the law. Shining a light on this can save other families from the same fate.
knarfie
6:41 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
It is a very sad situation. That mother certainly did not wanta little girl to die. The person who collects rent on a place like that, however, should be horsewhipped.
Eggs-n-Toast
7:35 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
I agree Knarfie. Time to crack down on this kind of home passing off as "income property" for slumlords.
Securevelope
10:40 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
@EggsnToast - (part one due to character limitations on replies)
As usual, your failure to fully understand anything I write astounds me. Or is it that you just like to twist things to suit your sense of self righteousness? Or maybe your reading comprehension skills need polishing up?
In no way was I talking about this woman. Goddamn, she suffered enough, didn't she? Do you really think I'm so callous that I'd come here ragging on her? If so, you're a bigger ass than you let everyone see you for.
I was talking about the poor in general. Obviously you don't know what the NYCHA is either or you would have understood as well. My mother worked in the projects collecting rent. NYCHA is the projects in NY. I have been around the "poor" all my life because of this and I know the horrors some landlords can go through. I also know that being poor is no excuse to allow the landlord to get away with being a slumlord no matter how busy you are.
Your list of excuses for her are moot since I was not commenting on her (yes I know I repeat myself, but you insist on making me do that). But you know what? I'm going to answer them as if it's ANYONE ELSE but her in this situation minus the loss of a child.
Securevelope
10:41 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
@EggsnToast - (part two due to character limitation)
NONE of your excuses is valid. NOT ONE of them. Anyone with half a brain would know exactly how to remedy the situation and then bring it to the landlord's attention or if he won't bother, the health department, department of housing etc. So many avenues to use to get satisfaction there are no excuses. People live like they do because they choose to, at least to some degree. No one should be so lazy as to wait for someone else to remedy a situation that is unsatisfactory. ALL townships offer some way to haul crap from the curb and if they don't, then you leave it there and make a complaint until it's gone. THERE ARE WAYS TO GET THINGS DONE.
Until people stop being lazy in this regard, slumlords will always have the upper hand and never be stopped. If it's unreported, ignored or worse, accepted as normal, then it's going to continue.
And just so you know Eggs the Know it All - I've been dirt poor for many years of my life. I speak from experience on how things can get done. THERE IS NO EXCUSE and no landlord should be depended on to do the right thing. YOU FORCE THEM TO.
Eggs-n-Toast
11:58 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
You really need to calm down. Talk about reading way too much into someone's posts.
We are not talking about NYCHA nor your mother's experiences there. We are all talking about a local incident where a child's life was lost. This isn't the projects in NYC, this is a single family home, owned by some out of town slumlord, in Lakewood, NJ, and it just may be possible there is provable negligence on the part of that slumlord. That was my point. Which pretty much agrees with what you've said in your last sentence (in Part II) of your unnecessary rant.
However, All your other bull about being poor, no excuses for the tenant- poor or not- but then it comes back to the landlord is all just....backpeddling.
As far as you not talking about THIS particular woman not cleaning up the yard, please... that's EXACTLY who you were aiming that criticism at - and you know it.
Securevelope
12:25 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Don't tell me what I know. And don't tell me to calm down. How do you know my state of excitability?
I'm not talking about the NYCHA either - again, your failure to comprehend is amazing. I was using that as an example. Why? Because it matters not whether it's a large project or a single family home, SOMETIMES the tenants are at fault. Finding refrigerators and sofas down the elevator shaft or blocking the fire exits is a prime example of the crap landlords do have to put up with. Every situation is different. Not every landlord is a slum lord. This one is.
Backpedaling? Bah. Yeah it does come back to the landlord, but if you do nothing proactive, NOTHING gets done and the landlord wins.
And if you want to believe that I was talking about this woman specifically, so be it. I already know from other conversations with you that you are only going to see things the way you want to see them and interpret everyone's words to what makes you feel better. Mattie, that goes for you too.
Mattie
12:41 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
LOL Peace Brother (or sister)