BATON ROUGE — A man was arrested for second-degree murder following the death of an 18-month-old child, according to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. 

The department said 18-month-old Melanie Trahan entered state custody on June 25 before being placed in a certified foster home.

On July 21, DCFS received a report that Trahan sustained life-threatening injuries, causing the department to remove another foster child from the home and report the matter to both law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office. 

Trahan later died on July 26, leading to the arrest of foster caregiver Alberto Marin, who was certified in January 2024 after completing Louisiana's required certification process. Marin was charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice.

In addition to the criminal investigation, DCFS has initiated an internal review to determine whether all policies and procedures were properly followed related to the foster care certification and Trahan's placement and care.