Father's inconsistent statements led to arrest in Palmdale child death, investigators say

PALMDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- Detectives are continuing their investigation into what caused a toddler to become unresponsive and die while at a park in east Palmdale on Wednesday.

After interviewing the toddler's father, investigators decided to place him under arrest.

"That was based on some inconsistencies in the statements that he had provided to the investigators regarding what had led up to the medical emergency regarding the son," said Lt. Michael Gomez with the Los Angles County Sheriff's Department.

Gomez says the child was with his father when the tragedy unfolded at Melville J. Courson Park in the 38000 block of 10th street East in Palmdale after 8 a.m. Wednesday.

"In essence it's concealment of a crime - that being at this point we would be looking at child endangerment," Gomez said.

For now the child's death remains a mystery and detectives are approaching it as a death investigation. The child's father, Schaffer Grindstaff, 29, remains locked up in connection with his son's death. His bail is listed at $1 million.

Detectives are still waiting for an official cause of death from the medical examiner's office.

They are also looking to interview the child's mother.

"I'm trying to get a hold of the mother to get a statement from her in regards to just the baby's medical history, anything that they're aware of that may lend some information as to what happened," Gomez said. "Trying to figure out what led up to this child's death."