SPRING VALLEY, Calif. (KGTV) — A heartbreaking scene continued to unfold in Spring Valley after sheriff’s deputies arrested 22-year-old David Ruiz on suspicion of murdering his son on Wednesday.
It all started the afternoon of Feb. 19. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office got a 911 call reporting a battery at a house on Sacramento Ave. That’s just south of Jamacha and not far from the 54 freeway.
When emergency crews got there, they found an infant unconscious on the floor with injuries on his head.
The child was declared dead, according to first responders. Deputies arrested the newborn’s father, Ruiz.
"On February 20, 2025, the Medical Examiner's Office conducted the autopsy and concluded that the preliminary cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, categorizing the manner of death as homicide. The victim was identified as a six-day-old baby boy."
Neighbors say they knew something was wrong when law enforcement blocked off part of the street and started asking questions.
“I knew something was going on when I started seeing the cops going from house to house. They stopped over here and asked for footage from one of our cameras,” said James Davis, who lives nearby. “I knew something was going on, I just didn’t know what.”
When people heard what happened, the neighborhood was filled with questions and heartbreak.
“It’s real sad because the kid didn’t have a chance. The kid is not a grownup; the kid can’t defend itself,” said Johnnie, who works nearby. “A baby… I feel so sad in my heart for the baby.”
The child’s father is only suspected of murder, according to the sheriff's office. He’s due in court to be arraigned Friday.
If you know anything about this case, you’re encouraged to call the sheriff’s homicide unit at 858-285-6330.
