Authorities launch homicide investigation in death of shaken baby syndrome victim — 29 years after incident

Authorities are investigating the death of Samantha Delariva, 28, of Allegheny Township, who died last year from head injuries suffered as an infant.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Wednesday — about six months after her death — that the cause of Delariva’s death was abusive head trauma and labeled it a homicide. The Westmore­land County District Attorney’s Office and the Allegheny Township Police Department are investigating, said Nicole Ziccarelli, Westmoreland County district attorney. No one has been charged with homicide.

The head trauma occurred when Delariva was 4 months old, authorities said.

Her parents faced criminal charges after Delariva was found on Aug. 7, 1993, not breathing while sleeping in her crib in the family’s Allegheny Township home, according to Valley News Dispatch archives.

The baby was taken to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she was diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome, which is brain damage caused when the brain is shaken violently.

Doctors discovered bleeding in the skull behind her eyes, according to newspaper accounts at the time.

The brain swelling led to a cerebral palsy-like condition that doctors said would afflict the child for the rest of her life, according to a VND report.

Leah Ann Delariva, 19, and her husband, Charles W. Delariva, 21, were charged in 1993 with child endangerment and aggravated assault.

The couple told township police their daughter was fine when she went to sleep the night before the incident. Then, after learning of their daughter’s diagnosis, they said the injury occurred when Charles Delariva rolled onto his infant while sleeping, according to the VND report.

During a 1994 trial in Westmoreland County, Leah Ann Delariva confessed to shaking her infant daughter because she wouldn’t stop crying.

She was sentenced to three to six years in county jail. After her confession, prosecutors moved for a mistrial against Charles Delariva, which cleared him of any wrongdoing.

The child remained with and was raised by her maternal grandparents, Kenneth Lee Domiano Sr. and Mary Ann Domiano of Allegheny Township.

In response to the recent investigation, Ken Domiano Jr. of Vandergrift, Samantha Delariva’s uncle said, “No matter what happens, it’s not going to change anything. Samantha’s not here.”

Speaking for the Domiano family, he said that the family has no further comment.

Attempts to reach Leah Ann Delariva on Thursday were unsuccessful.

In her obituary, Delariva was said to have enjoyed watching TV, especially Pittsburgh Steelers football, along with spending time with her nephew, Colt.

The Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, in a post about the Class of 2014, wrote: “With a sparkle in her eyes and a beautiful smile, Samantha is a great friend to her classmates and enjoys going on field trips and participating in group activities.”