Beaumont, CA - On Monday, September 26, 2022, at approximately 2:18 pm, the Beaumont Police Department received a 911 call reporting a 16-month-old child was found not breathing at a home in the 1500 block of Ruby Lane. The child’s father reported finding the infant face down in his playpen. Dispatchers instructed the father to begin CPR until medical personnel could arrive. American Medical Response and CalFire paramedics arrived and took over life-saving efforts while transporting the child to an area hospital. However, these efforts were unsuccessful and the infant was pronounced deceased upon arrival to the hospital.
Due to the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death detectives from the Beaumont Police Department assumed the investigation. The father, who was later determined to be the foster parent of the infant was arrested for child endangerment causing great bodily injury or death and was transported to Smith Correctional Facility in Banning. After additional investigation by detectives and the Riverside County Coroner’s Office it was determined the child died of injuries consistent with physical abuse. The father of the child, Arturo Alcantar Vitela, age 32, of Beaumont is now being held on murder charges.
The identity of the infant in this case is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. This case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Macias at 951-769-8500. Information can also be reported anonymously at crimetips@beaumontpd.org.