TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Lakewood woman and her co-defendant will remain in custody at the Ocean County Jail as they await trial on murder charges in connection with the death of their infant daughter, officials announced Wednesday.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer stated that on Wednesday, Judge Wendel E. Daniels, J.S.C. (retired and temporarily assigned on recall), ordered 28-year-old Caitlin Gibson to be detained pending trial. The ruling follows a separate detention hearing held Tuesday, during which Judge David M. Fritch, J.S.C., ordered that Ruben Santiago, 36, also of Lakewood, remain detained in the same case.
Gibson and Santiago were both apprehended on May 7 and have remained in custody at the Ocean County Jail since their arrests. They are each charged with murder in connection with the death of Gibson’s infant daughter.
The case is being prosecuted by Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Meghan O’Neill. No additional details about the circumstances of the child’s death or the evidence against the defendants have been made public.
Detention ordered as case moves toward trial
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has not indicated when the case will proceed to trial. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
