The Habersham County Grand Jury this week indicted a Cornelia mother accused of shaking her baby to death back in April.
Elba Maureen Santiago was indicted on multiple charges including two counts of felony murder, two counts of first-degree cruelty to children, and aggravated battery in the death of her 3-month-old daughter, court records show.
Santiago is accused of violently shaking her daughter, causing permanent brain damage. The indictment also states Santiago caused “cruel and excessive physical pain by squeezing said child causing rib injury.”
Disturbing 911 call
The alleged incident happened on April 2, 2019, at the AppleTree Inn in Cornelia.
In a 911 call to Habersham County Dispatch, a man identifying himself as the baby’s father tells the dispatcher the child “isn’t acting right”. He says he was on his way home from work when his wife called him to say their daughter’s “eyes were not straight.” As the two talk, a child can be heard in the background. The dispatcher asks the caller how long the baby’s been like this and he responds “I don’t know. I have been at work all day and my wife says that she just woke up and she was acting this way.”
“This case has shocked the conscience of everyone involved…” – Cornelia Police Chief Chad Smith
Cornelia police and fire personnel along with Habersham EMS responded to the scene. An ambulance transported the child, who the indictment also refers to as Elba, to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. From there she was life-flighted to Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta.
Santiago was arrested on April 10, two days after her baby died at Scottish Rite.
The Department of Family and Children Services took custody of Santiago’s other child who was 18-months-old. Cornelia Police Chief Chad Smith said at the time the case “shocked the conscience of everyone involved.”
Santiago, who was 25 at the time of her arrest, remains in jail without bond. She’s scheduled to be arraigned on July 25 in Habersham County Superior Court.
