Child cruelty charge dropped against Carmel Valley father

UPDATE 3/3/17 1:53 p.m.: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said Arthur Fosso was released from jail because they need more time to investigate the case before formally charging him with a crime.

In the meantime, Fosso is no longer charged with child cruelty after his three-month-old son died earlier this week.

The sheriff’s office says it will continue investigating the case and he may be formally charged at another time.

PREVIOUS STORY: A baby was found dead in Carmel Valley Tuesday morning and his father is behind bars.

Arthur Fosso, 36, was arrested Wednesday and charged with child cruelty. His bail is set at $50,000.

Deputies with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said Fosso called 911 on Tuesday, saying his 3-month-old son was not responsive.

When emergency responders arrived at the home on Cachagua Road the infant unconscious.

They tried to revive him but couldn’t.

Deputies went back to the house with a search warrant Wednesday and arrested Fosso.

Investigators are looking into what happened and said it could take some time.

“There hasn’t even been a post mortem exam done by the pathologist yet that I’m aware of. Toxicology, (and) everything else that the coroner’s office has to do, it would be weeks before we know the cause of death,” said John Thornburg with Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

Thornburg said an autopsy can be performed as early as Thursday.

There were also other children at the house believed to be Fosso’s kids.

“(There were) four children in total, three others, three-year-old, a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old were all taken into protective custody by child protective services.”

Monterey County Child Protective Services declined to comment on the case as it’s still under investigation.

Deputies said the mother of the baby is in the hospital for unknown reasons.

Two neighbors said they saw an ambulance rushing down the street Tuesday, and another one said he spoke with friends of the family, and everyone is waiting to learn more about the case.

PREVIOUS STORY: Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies said the father of a 3-month-old boy was charged with child cruelty and his bail has been set for $50,000.

Investigators said Arthur Fosso, 36, called 911 to report his son being unresponsive. Emergency responders tried to save the infant but couldn’t revive him.

According to deputies there were three other children in the home; they have all been placed in protective custody.

Deputies said the mother has been in the hospital for an unknown cause.

PREVIOUS STORY: The father of a 3-month-old boy was arrested in Carmel Valley Tuesday morning during child neglect investigation at their home on Cachagua Road, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the infant was found non-responsive around 10:30 a.m. and later died. His father has been identified as Arthur Fosso, 36.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.