Mom charged in death of sick toddler allegedly left him with siblings while she went drinking
CHELSEA - A Chelsea mother is being held on $100,000 bail in connection with her young son's death after prosecutors said he died while she was out for the night.
Jennifer Prudencio, 25, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment in the death of her 3-year-old son. She pleaded not guilty to the charges when she was in court on Wednesday.
3-year-old left in the care of siblings
Prosecutor Audrey Mark said Prudencio's son Yael Guardardo-Prudencio had a medical history of seizures and hemophilia and was sick and vomiting blood in the week leading up to his death. On Saturday April 6, Mark said Yael vomited again and was suffering from an untreated head injury for a fall but his mother left him in the care of his older siblings, who are 7 and 8 years old, while she went out for the night.
Mark said Prudencio spent Saturday night drinking at a bar in Revere, then spent the night at her boyfriend's home in Somerville. During the night, her 8-year-old son allegedly texted her out of concern for Yael and sent her a video of the sick child. Prudencio allegedly responded she would be home soon.
"The defendant also admitted that during the night, she received a video and text from her 8-year-old son communicating concerns for the alleged victim's well being. And that despite that she chose to stay out all night," said Mark.
When Prudencio returned to her Spencer Avenue apartment on Sunday morning at around 10 a.m., Yael was found dead.
"A terrible, terrible tragedy"
Prudencio's attorney Peter Lemire called the boy's death a "terrible, terrible tragedy" and said she's distraught over Yael's death. He added there was no prior Department of Children and Families (DCF) involvement with the family and that Prudencio is cooperating with police.
Prudencio is due back in court May 2 for a probably cause hearing. She has been ordered to stay away from children under 16 and wear a GPS monitoring bracelet if she makes bail. Her two older children are now in DCF custody.
Prudencio's family was in court but left without comment.
