RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. – Police detectives are investigating after a toddler was found deceased inside a car in Rancho Cordova.
Around 12:30 Wednesday afternoon, a Rancho Cordova police officer located a white Toyota Rav-4 parked the wrong way on Rod Beaudry Drive.
Two adult subjects, a male and a female, were contacted inside the vehicle. The male occupant was found to have an outstanding warrant from Arkansas.
A search of the vehicle by officers was conducted. During the search, officers located a 3-year-old child unresponsive under some blankets. Paramedics were called to the scene and declare the toddler deceased. Police say no obvious signs of trauma were present.
The scene was secured by officers and detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Child Abuse Bureau and the Sacramento County Coroner responded to begin the investigation. The cause of death will be determined by the Coroner and released at a later time.
Later that evening, Sheriff’s Child Abuse Bureau detectives arrested Angela Phakhin, 27, and Untwan Smith, 46, of Arkansas for child endangerment charges which may have led to the death of the 3-year-old girl. Phakhin and Smith were the two adults inside the vehicle.
Angela Phakhin is the biological mother of the victim. Smith is the boyfriend of Phakhin. Detectives believe Phakhin and Smith arrived in California in February of this year, and have been living out of their vehicle with the child throughout the city and county. The case will be submitted to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. A determination of further charges will be made once the Coroner’s Office determines the cause and manner of death.
Phakhin and Smith were arrested for child endangerment and conspiracy, and booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail. Both of the suspects are being held in-custody in lieu of $1,000,000 bail, and are scheduled to be arraigned in Sacramento Superior Court on June 30, 2017.
