Three suspects in the death of a 2-year-old child in Two Rivers late last month, appeared in Manitowoc County Circuit Court yesterday afternoon. 27-year-old Rena Santiago, 25-year-old Bianca Bush, and 28-year-old David Heiden face multiple felony counts for continually abusing 2-year-old Gilbert Grant at 2110 E. River Street. The criminal complaint shows the boy died April 26th from internal bleeding & Injuries to his organs following months of abuse by his mother, Santiago, and her roommates, Bush and Heiden.
During Heiden’s hearing, a 30-year-old Two Rivers man approached him and said, “Better pray you don’t get out, David” before bailiffs removed him from the courtroom. He reportedly made a handgun gesture with a two-fingered cocking motion. Sheriff Dan Hartwig said the male is possibly the friend of someone the defendant knows and was booked in the county jail for disorderly conduct. He is currently being confined on a probation hold.
Santiago admitted to investigators that she engaged in prostitution in the apartment and all three of the defendants smoked marijuana with the victim present. Santiago is also nine months pregnant and is due on May 13th. The trio remains in the county jail under $100,000 cash bail each.
Meanwhile, the mother’s sister, Amanda Santiago, said Grant’s father and extended family plan a memorial service in Texas next Monday.
The child and his mother lived with Amanda and family in Texas, before moving to Two Rivers.
