PIERRE – A Castlewood woman has been arrested on suspicion of child abuse and other charges are pending in connection with the death of a 2-year-old girl in Hamlin County.
Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg said Thursday that on the morning of Tuesday, June 2, the Hamlin County Sheriff’s Office, Castlewood Ambulance and Watertown Fire Rescue responded to a call of an unresponsive 2-year-old female at a residence in Castlewood. The child was transported to Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown, where she was pronounced dead.
Initial investigation revealed evidence of ongoing child abuse, and the manner of death is pending upon the results of an autopsy, Ravnsborg said.
Josephine Raymundo, 30, of Castlewood has been arrested on a charge of felony child abuse (SDCL 26-10-1), additional charges are pending. Raymundo is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by the Hamlin County state’s attorney, and the investigation is ongoing at this time.
The Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation with assistance from the Hamlin County Sheriff’s Office, the Watertown Police Department, South Dakota Child Protection Services, and the Minnehaha County Coroner’s Office.
