Babysitter Suspected of Fatally Injuring Baby in Unsolved Murder Case

It’s been 20 years since one-year-old Jose Shaw died from severe injuries linked to Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). Today, local homicide detectives continue to search for the woman suspected of killing the child.

According to the San Diego Police Department, on March 2, 1993, babysitter Maria Elvia Larios called paramedics to report that her charge, little Jose, had fallen from the bed at her home in the 1800 block of South 39th Street in San Diego’s Shelltown community.

Medics transported the injured baby to a local hospital. Physicians later found little Jose had sustained severe injuries consistent with SBS, officials said. He died a few days later.

Investigators say Larios denied any wrongdoing in her caregiving of the child. She initially agreed to cooperate in the investigation, but then suddenly fled to Mexico.

Prior to the death of little Jose, police say his parents had noticed small scratches and bruising on their baby, but the injuries were convincingly explained away by Larios.

Since the baby’s 1993 death, investigators have been searching for Larios in connection with her alleged involvement in the baby’s murder.

On Tuesday, Crime Stoppers and the SDPD released an old photograph of Larios in an effort to track down fresh leads in the cold case.

Detectives describe Larios as a 67-year-old Hispanic woman. She’s 5-foot-2, 160 pounds and has dark brown hair and brown eyes. She’s been known to also use the names Maria Elvia Mendoza and Maria Elvia.

Officials are asking anyone with information on Larios’ current whereabouts to call the homicide unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

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