Authorities said the 1-day-old boy was born healthy before he was found in medical distress inside a private maternity recovery room.
WEST READING, PA — Two parents have been charged with criminal homicide after their newborn son suffered fatal traumatic injuries inside a Berks County hospital maternity ward, District Attorney John Adams said.
Kevin Canaan, 28, of Reading, and Yeniffer Tavarez-Cepeda, 25, of New York, are accused of killing Baby Boy Tavarez-Cepeda, a 1-day-old newborn who had been under their care at Tower Health Reading Hospital. Prosecutors said the case began as a suspected child abuse report and became a homicide investigation after doctors and a forensic pathologist found injuries that were not linked to childbirth.
West Reading police were called to Tower Health Reading Hospital on May 2 after hospital workers reported suspected child abuse in the maternity ward. Authorities said the newborn had been born seemingly healthy earlier that day but was later found in medical distress inside a private patient recovery room. A nurse reported that the baby was pale, limp and breathing loudly. According to the criminal complaint, the nurse also said Canaan was acting in an unusual and erratic way, leading hospital security and social services to become involved. Berks County District Attorney John Adams later called the allegations “the most horrific case” of his career and said he was shocked by what investigators found.
The baby was flown from West Reading to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for advanced neonatal care. He died there on May 3. Medical staff told investigators that the infant’s injuries were consistent with physical abuse and were not the result of the birthing process, officials said. On May 5, forensic pathologist Dr. Wayne K. Ross performed an autopsy at the Dauphin County Forensic Center in Harrisburg. The autopsy found a multitude of internal injuries, and Ross determined the cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries. The death was ruled a homicide. Authorities have not publicly released the baby’s full name beyond identifying him as Baby Boy Tavarez-Cepeda.
Detectives with the Berks County District Attorney’s Office and West Reading police investigated the baby’s death. Authorities said they reviewed the timing of medical checks and determined that the injuries happened in a short, well documented period while the infant was under the supervision of Canaan and Tavarez-Cepeda in the private hospital room. Investigators also said the parents saw that the child was in distress but did not alert hospital staff. Officials have not publicly described a motive, the exact type of assault alleged or whether either parent gave a statement explaining what happened inside the room.
The case has drawn attention because prosecutors say the alleged abuse happened inside a hospital, where the newborn was still in a maternity recovery area and under routine observation. Tower Health Reading Hospital is in West Reading, just outside the city of Reading, and serves families across Berks County and nearby communities. The investigation centered on the narrow time between wellness checks, medical staff observations and the emergency response after the child’s condition changed. Authorities said those records helped them place the baby with his parents when the fatal injuries were inflicted.
Canaan and Tavarez-Cepeda were charged May 19 with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children. Arrest warrants were issued after investigators interviewed the parents and numerous health care workers, officials said. Both defendants were taken into custody in Reading by the Berks County sheriff’s warrant division, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, West Reading police and Berks County detectives. They were transported to the Berks County sheriff’s central processing center for fingerprinting, photographs and arraignment. Court records cited in local reports showed both were denied bail because of the charges and a lack of a valid address.
Adams said the investigation was built around medical findings, interviews and hospital records. “When I think about all that I’ve seen in my career, and I’ve seen some bad things, I was shocked,” Adams said. Investigators have not said whether any additional charges are expected. Online court records cited by local media did not list attorneys who could speak for Canaan or Tavarez-Cepeda. The charges are accusations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The parents remained in custody after their arrests, with the case moving into its early court stage. The next public milestone is expected to be a preliminary hearing, where prosecutors would present enough evidence for the charges to proceed.
Author note: Last updated May 25, 2026.