The father of a boy who was found unconscious in a Palmdale park Wednesday and later died at a hospital has been arrested, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a written statement that Shaffer Grindstaff, 29, was arrested on suspicion of complicity in concealing a crime and endangering a child. No further details about the case were released Thursday.
Grindstaff's 1-year-old son, Cameron Flores, was found unresponsive shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday at Melville J. Courson Park in Palmdale, according to a statement from sheriff's officials.
“When officers arrived on scene, they contacted the child's father, who stated that his young son suddenly began experiencing a medical emergency in the park,” the department said.
Fire paramedics transported the child to Antelope Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Homicide detectives say the cause of the boy's death is still under investigation. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said an autopsy has not been performed and the cause of death is unknown, but in their records doctors noted that “other significant conditions” may have contributed to the boy's death.
Initial reports indicated that officers had used Narcan, an anti-opioid overdose medication, on the child, but investigators determined that was not the case.
A witness told ABC7 News the incident began inside a parked car.
“The next thing you know, the police officer pulls the father out of the road and starts doing CPR as well, takes the child out of the car, puts him on the ground and completes CPR on the child,” said the person, who declined to be identified. he told the news station.
Neighbors said the boy lived with his father in an apartment across from the park.
