Benedict Antonio Saengphaibul was only one year old when he died on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, in Monrovia, a city in the San Gabriel Valley. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died after sustaining blunt force trauma near the intersection of South California Avenue and Duarte Road. His death was ruled a homicide, and it was investigated by the Monrovia Police Department.
Benedict was an Asian baby boy. His family name, Saengphaibul, is of Thai origin. Beyond his name, his age and the place where he died, nothing about him has been made public. No obituary, memorial page or family fundraiser could be found for this story, and no news outlet appears to have reported on his death. Somewhere, there is a family that lost a child who had barely begun to walk and talk.
The public record leaves almost every question unanswered. It does not say whether he was hurt in a home, in a car or somewhere else, who was caring for him at the time, whether he was taken to a hospital, or how long he lived after his injuries. When the Medical Examiner rules a young child's death from blunt force trauma a homicide, it means that another person's actions caused it, whether through abuse, violence or something else. The record does not say which.
The death of a baby is among the hardest cases any detective handles. The only witnesses are often the adults who were present, and a child of one cannot describe what happened. Medical evidence can show that a child was hurt, but not always who did it or when. In April 2020, just weeks into the pandemic, families were confined at home, schools and day care centers were closed, and many children were cut off from the doctors, relatives and others who might normally notice signs of trouble. Child welfare advocates warned at the time that abuse was likely going unreported.
Monrovia is a city of about 37,000 people at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, known for its historic Old Town district along Myrtle Avenue. South California Avenue and Duarte Road meet in a residential part of the city south of the 210 Freeway, an area of homes and apartment buildings. Homicides are rare in Monrovia, and the death of a one-year-old there should have drawn wide attention, but it does not appear to have been reported at all.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Benedict Antonio Saengphaibul could be found in news archives or public records, although cases involving young children are sometimes handled with little public attention. As far as the public record shows, no one has been held responsible. Anyone who knew Benedict or his family may hold information that could help. Even a small detail, such as a name overheard, a vehicle seen nearby or a conversation remembered, can help detectives move a case forward. Anyone with information can contact the Monrovia Police Department, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
