Grasonville Woman Sentenced for Criminal Neglect of a Minor and Reckless Endangerment

The charges stemmed from an incident on October 4, 2024, when emergency services were called to a residence on Station Lane in Grasonville, Maryland.

Upon arrival, they found a juvenile female, born January 11, 2023, unresponsive in an inflatable pool. Despite life-saving measures, the child was pronounced deceased several days later.

An investigation by the Queen Anne's County Office of the Sheriff's Criminal Investigations Unit determined that Ms. Castanon Tomas was babysitting the child at the time.

According to statements made to police, Ms. Castanon Tomas had gone inside her home to paint, leaving the child outside with three other young children, aged two, three, and four.

Ms. Castanon Tomas reported that she was inside for approximately ten to fifteen minutes. When she went to check on the children, she discovered the victim face-down in the pool. She called 911 and attempted to provide aid until emergency personnel arrived.

During the three-day jury trial, the State presented testimony from paramedics, members of the Queen Anne's County Office of the Sheriff, and civilian witnesses, including the child's mother.

The jury acquitted Ms. Castanon Tomas of the most serious charge of manslaughter but found her guilty of reckless endangerment and criminal neglect of a minor. She received a five-year sentence for each conviction, to be served consecutively.