Police investigating death of infant in N.E. Phila.

Police are investigating the death of an infant at an unlicensed day-care center Tuesday in the city's Oxford Circle section.

The death was not regarded as suspicious, but detectives from the Special Victims Unit and the Medical Examiner's Office were investigating to make certain, police said.

Police found that about two dozen children were being cared for at the illegal business being run inside a two-story rowhouse in the 1300 block of Hellerman Street.

At 11:54 a.m., someone at the house called 911 to report an unresponsive infant, police said.

The boy, who was nearly 4 months old, was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, where he was pronounced dead at 12:39 p.m., police said.

The Medical Examiner's Office is investigating the cause of death.

A police officer oversaw the house from inside as parents came to retrieve their children.

A 30-year-old mother from Holmesburg who kept her 6-month-old daughter at the house said that a woman from Brazil ran the day-care business.

The mother, who did not want to be named, said the business was well-run. She brought her daughter there six days a week and it cost her about $25 a day.

"It was good," she said. "Everything was fine. Everything was clean."

The mother, who works as a tax preparer, said that she was not concerned that the business was unlicensed, saying that licensed day cares can be poorly run.

With the Hellerman Street house shut down for business, the mother said she would take her daughter to work until she could find a replacement.

If the business reopened, would she bring her daughter back?

"Yes, definitely," she said.