California Day Care Owner Charged with Murder After 4-Month-Old Baby Dies While She Was ‘Intoxicated,’ Police Say
MANTECA, CA – A California day care owner has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly being intoxicated while caring for several children — including a 4-month-old infant who stopped breathing and later died in her care.
49-year-old Roxanne Helus, owner of Cherished Years Daycare in Manteca, was originally arrested for child endangerment in connection with the death of Christian Olvera on October 22, 2025. Authorities have since upgraded the charge after reviewing new evidence.
The Incident and Discovery
Police say they received an emergency call on the afternoon of October 22 about an infant who was “not breathing” at Helus’ home-based daycare facility. When officers arrived, another adult was performing CPR on the baby while Helus appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
The Manteca Police Department said that Christian was rushed to a local hospital before being transferred to Oakland Children’s Hospital, where he was placed on life support. Despite medical efforts, the infant was pronounced dead on October 24.
Investigators reported that the child showed no visible signs of trauma, and autopsy results are still pending.
Arrest and Upgraded Charges
Helus was initially booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on child endangerment charges before posting bond and being released. However, during her arraignment on November 6, prosecutors added second-degree murder, willful cruelty to a child, and causing great bodily injury to a child resulting in death.
Following the new charges, Helus was taken back into custody and denied bond.
“This is a terrible and tragic incident, and I do want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family,”
said Eugene Kilbride, Helus’ attorney. “However, I don’t believe there was willful conduct to justify a murder charge.”
Conditions at the Day Care
When officers arrived at Helus’ home, they found four other adults assisting with three additional children at the daycare. Police confirmed that no other children were harmed.
Authorities noted that Helus was responsible for supervising all of the children and failed to notice when Christian became unresponsive. Her alleged intoxication at the time of the incident is now a central factor in the prosecution’s case.
Family’s Reaction and Grief
Family members of baby Christian spoke publicly about the devastating loss. His cousin, Erica Valdivia, recalled the heartbreaking moment the family gathered as doctors removed him from life support.
“On Friday, Oct. 24, as a family, we joined Christian’s parents in the room as they disconnected him from life support, and that pain was unbearable, watching him take his last breath,”
Valdivia told KGTV.
The family is now calling for stricter state oversight of home-based childcare centers and better safety checks for providers.
Court Proceedings
Helus appeared before a San Joaquin County judge and is now being held without bond pending further hearings. She is scheduled to return to court on December 4.
Prosecutors said additional charges could be filed once the final autopsy results are released.
Authorities say the case serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of negligence in childcare settings. Police emphasized that their investigation is ongoing and urged parents to remain vigilant when selecting licensed providers.
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