Child-welfare authorities are investigating the death of a 5-month-old girl who drowned while in the care of a babysitter in Cicero.
Alexendria E. Martinez was pronounced dead at 3:07 p.m. Monday after an incident in the 6100 block of West 19th Street in Cicero, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The girl died of asphyxiation suffered in an accidental drowning, the office determined following an autopsy Tuesday.
Alexendria lived with her family in the 1500 block of North Long Avenue, according to the medical examiner’s office.
The adult caregiver who was watching Alexendria at the time of her injury is being investigated for neglect, said Karen Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Two older siblings are in family members’ care, pending the outcome of the investigation, although the girl’s parents are not under investigation in the girl’s death, Hawkins said.
“Every child’s death is a tragedy,” Hawkins said. “We will be fully investigating this case.”
A spokesman for Cicero did not immediately have information about the girl’s death.