TOMS RIVER — Charges against the mother of a 3-month-old girl who died from severe head injuries in May 2025 will be dismissed when the child’s father is sentenced, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to Jersey Shore Online on Friday evening.
In an email sent from Jersey Shore Online to authorities, after other published reports from Toms River Patch and Asbury Park Press appeared online, it was confirmed that Caitlin M. Gibson, 28, was released from pretrial monitoring on January 15.
Prosecutors said the case against Gibson will be formally dropped after the baby’s father, Ruben Santiago, is sentenced in March.
Santiago, 36, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in connection with the infant’s death. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 4 by Superior Court Judge Ryan.
Prosecutors have indicated they will seek a 25-year state prison sentence under the No Early Release Act.
The couple had been charged with murder May 7 following an autopsy which determined the baby suffered a subdural hematoma, two skull fractures, seven healing rib fractures and a fractured wrist that was also in the process of healing at the time of death.
Police were called to a Pinehurst Drive home around 7:20 p.m. May 5, 2025, for a report of an infant in respiratory distress. Officers found the child unresponsive.
Emergency medical personnel provided aid before transporting the baby to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick. The infant was later transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where she was pronounced dead the following day.
An autopsy conducted by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, resulting in skull fractures and a subdural hematoma. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Gibson’s attorney, Mitchell Ansell confirmed that Santiago accepted full responsibility for the abuse and stated that Gibson was not present when the injuries were inflicted. Ansell said investigators for both the defense and the prosecution corroborated that account.
Santiago remains in custody awaiting sentencing.
