One of three defendants charged in the death of a two-year-old boy last month in Two Rivers pled “not guilty” to the charges against him in Manitowoc County Circuit Court.
28-year-old David Heiden is charged with repeated physical abuse of a child causing death, repeated physical abuse of a child causing bodily harm, chronic neglect of a child-possession of marijuana as party to a crime and possession of drug paraphernalia as party to a crime in the death of Gilbert Grant the Second.
Officers responded to a Two rivers residence on April 26th for a report of a child not breathing. Gilbert was pronounced dead a short time later. Prosecutors say Heiden, 27-year-old Rena Santiago (Gilbert’s mother) and 25-year-old Bianca Bush repeatedly hit the boy with their hands, a shoe and a belt over several months. Heiden allegedly admitted that he violently shook the boy the day he died. A settlement conference with the District Attorney’s Office is scheduled for July 2nd and a plea date is set for August sixth.
Bush’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 31st, while Santiago’s initial appearance is set for June 17th. All three defendants remain in the County Jail in lieu of $100 thousand cash each.
