NorCal man arrested after girlfriend’s 1-year-old son is found dead near train tracks

UKIAH, Calif. (TCD) -- A 32-year-old man was arrested after his girlfriend’s 1-year-old son was found dead near train tracks and another child was injured.

According to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, on Aug. 2 at 2:05 a.m., deputies responded to the 1700 block of North State Street in Ukiah for a possible domestic battery call and found Edward "Two Feathers" Steele and Sally Arellano standing in a parking lot.

Arellano reportedly told deputies her two children were about half a mile away at a motel with a babysitter. Deputies later arrested Arellano for misdemeanor domestic violence battery, and she was released on bail Aug. 3 at 5 a.m.

Steele reportedly took over for the babysitter when Arellano was in custody. On Aug. 3 at 1:22 p.m., a "concerned parent" called the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office to say they were worried about their two missing children who were in Steele’s custody.

According to the statement, on Aug. 3 at 4:50 a.m., a man allegedly believed to be Steele was seen walking with two young children and leaving them near the railroad tracks. Nearly 12 hours later, at 3:55 p.m., emergency officials responded to the area after a passerby called 911 when they saw a 2-year-old child "who appeared to be suffering from heat-related symptoms." The Sheriff’s Office said it was a "life-threatening medical emergency."

After the child was transported to Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Hospital for treatment, officials continued to search the area. At 4:20 p.m., law enforcement officials discovered the deceased 1-year-old.

Steele was located Aug. 4 at 12:55 p.m. by Hopland tribal members, and he was later taken into custody for murder and violation of post-release community supervision.

He’s currently being held without bail. The child’s manner and cause of death have not been released yet.

MORE:

• Child Death Investigation - Mendocino County Sheriff's Office