A Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, daycare provider is facing a second-degree manslaughter charge after a 7-month-old boy in her care was found unresponsive and later died, with prosecutors alleging that emergency help was not called for more than 20 minutes.
Narcisa de Jesus Morales Deleg, 58, was charged this week in Hennepin County District Court in connection with the death of Taylor Eliam Rea Calderon. The child was found not breathing at the in-home daycare on June 30, 2025, and died in the hospital on July 15.
According to the criminal complaint, Taylor’s mother arrived at the daycare that afternoon to pick him up. After Morales Deleg did not immediately answer her phone, she eventually came to the door carrying the unresponsive child.
The mother told investigators that she had to tell Morales Deleg to call 911. The complaint says Morales Deleg questioned why emergency services needed to be called.
Taylor was taken to a hospital and placed on a ventilator. Doctors determined that he had suffered severe brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen. Despite treatment, he did not recover.
Investigators Focused on What Happened Before the 911 Call
Morales Deleg told investigators that Taylor had been given a bottle earlier in the afternoon and later fell asleep. She said that around 4:20 p.m., she placed him in a swing and gave him another bottle.
She told police that she left the room and did not see him for several minutes. When she returned, she said the baby was slumped over in the swing and appeared limp and pale.
Investigators say Morales Deleg recognized that Taylor was not breathing at about 4:40 p.m. However, the 911 call was not made until 5:03 p.m.
Phone records reviewed as part of the investigation showed that Morales Deleg was communicating with family members and relatives of other children in her care during much of that period. Investigators said the messaging activity continued until shortly before the emergency call.
A child-abuse pediatrician who reviewed Taylor’s condition told investigators that choking or positional asphyxia may have caused him to stop breathing. The physician also raised concerns about the way the infant was reportedly given a bottle while positioned in the swing.
The doctor told investigators that the delay in contacting emergency services was medically significant. With each minute that the brain remains without enough oxygen, the risk of permanent injury increases, and the physician concluded that the delay affected Taylor’s chances of recovery.
Daycare Licensing Also Under Review
The case has also raised questions about the status of the home daycare. State officials said a search of the state’s licensing database did not show a history of Morales Deleg holding a family child care license.
That information is part of the broader investigation, although the manslaughter charge centers on the circumstances surrounding Taylor’s medical emergency and the alleged delay in seeking help.
The criminal complaint describes the allegations against Morales Deleg; they have not been proven in court.
Morales Deleg was charged by summons rather than taken into custody. Court records indicate that she is scheduled to appear in Hennepin County District Court on October 22.
She is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
