ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Authorities arrested a 31-year-old woman from St. Petersburg on Tuesday, charging her in connection with the death of a 9-month-old baby left in her care nearly a year ago, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Officials responded to an apartment on July 25, 2024, following reports of an unresponsive infant who had been in the care of Desiree Rentz and failed to awaken from a nap, as stated in a news release.
Detectives revealed that Rentz was reportedly operating a daycare in her single-bedroom apartment, accommodating over a dozen children, despite falsely presenting herself to the parents as a licensed daycare provider.
The licenses Rentz displayed on her wall were for temporary foster care with a capacity of one, authorities said, and the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Department of Children and Families both confirmed that Rentz never had a daycare license.
The Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and confirmed that the baby was given cough syrup not recommended for children under the age of 4, without the parents’ knowledge or consent, officials said.
Rentz was arrested and jailed in Pinellas County, accused of aggravated manslaughter of a child and misrepresentation of a childcare facility resulting in death.
Rentz is scheduled to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
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