Garner man charged in 3-year-old boy's death; mother already charged

Police say a Garner man is responsible for a 3-year-old boy's death because he left the sick child unattended.

Ezequiel Gonzalez, 26, of 2332 Water Lilly Way has been charged with one felony count of negligent child abuse serious bodily injury, according to an arrest warrant filed Monday at the Wake County Magistrate's Office.

The child's mother, Deysi Y. Martinez, 22, has been in custody at the Wake County jail since Nov. 29, when she was arrested on the same charge, Garner police Capt. Joe Binns said Monday night.

Gonzalez and Martinez were staying at Inn Towne Suites, an extended stay hotel on U.S. 70 in Garner, with Eric Martinez, the woman's toddler son, Binns reported.

"The child was sick," Binns said Monday. Gonzalez and Martinez took the child to the hospital for medical attention, "but it was too late."

Investigators think the offense happened between Aug. 7 and Aug. 10, meaning authorities think three days passed before the couple took the child to the hospital.

"They should have taken him sooner," Binns said.

Garner detectives have accused Gonzalez and Martinez of showing "reckless disregard for human life by committing a grossly negligent omission" when they failed to seek medical attention for the toddler.

Investigators said even though the child was showing signs of medical distress, the couple left the child unattended and their negligence led to his death.

Gonzalez was taken into custody Monday and booked into the Wake County jail at 7:30 a.m. and released about 12:30 p.m. after posting a $30,000 bond, a jail spokesman reported Monday night.

Martinez remained in custody Monday night in lieu of a $500,000 bail, the spokesman reported.

This story was originally published April 9, 2018 at 9:11 PM with the headline "Garner man charged in 3-year-old boy's death; mother already charged."