BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Kern County Coroner has determined that an hours-old baby boy, whose body was found buried in the backyard of a Southwest Bakersfield home, died of drowning.
According to the Coroner, Baby Kaur was found on February 26 in the backyard of a home in the 5200 block of Shining Crag Avenue. The Coroner ruled that the manner of Baby Kaur's death was homicide.
According to court documents, on November 12, 2018, 43-year-old Beant Kaur Dhillon and 23-year-old Bakhshinderpal Singh Mann allegedly found Dhillon's 15-year-old daughter, Mann's cousin, had given birth to a baby boy in the bathroom of their family home, located in the 5200 block of Shining Crag Avenue in Southwest Bakersfield. Dhillon allegedly admitted to police that she then drowned the baby to "prevent family shame."
According to court documents, hours later, Mann and Dhillon, his aunt, allegedly worked together to dig a hole in the backyard of the home. Mann and Dhillon then allegedly placed the baby into the hole, placed salt in the hole, and buried the baby.
Court documents say 47-year-old Jagsir Singh , the father of the 15-year-old, was allegedly summoned back to the residence after his wife allegedly killed the baby and placed him in a garbage bag. Court documents say Singh allegedly allowed the baby to be buried in the yard in order to hide the baby and the pregnancy. Singh allegedly made no attempt to inform police of the birth or death and allegedly did not seek medical treatment for his daughter.
Police have yet to release information on the father of the child.
According to court documents, in the following months, Dhillon allegedly neglected to seek medical treatment for her daughter.
Dhillon was arrested and charged with felony first degree murder, felony assault of a child with force likely to cause great bodily injury, resulting in death, and felony child abuse.
Singh was arrested and charged with felony accessory to murder and felony child abuse.
According to the Kern County Central Receiving facility, where Singh was being held, Singh posted bail and was releasedWednesday, February 27.
Mann is wanted by BPD for his involvement in the murder. BPD says Mann has an outstanding arrest warrant for conspiracy and acting as an accessory to a felony after the fact. According to the Kern County District Attorney's Office, Mann has been charged with felony accessory to murder.
BPD is investigating a possible suicide after a man was found dead at the same home. Around 8:56 a.m., BPD says they received a call for a possible suicide. When officers arrived, BPD says they found a man dead in the home.
