A man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly killing his two-year old son and burying him in a Connecticut park, according to the Stanford Advocate.
Edgar Ismalej-Gomez, 26, was apprehended after allegedly violating his probation, and he is expected to be charged for the death of his son, Liam Rivera. Rivera’s body was discovered Monday encased in a plastic bag and buried in a Stamford park, the Advocate reported, citing the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The boy had allegedly suffered multiple blunt force injuries to the head.
Police: Stamford man wanted in connection with 2-year-old’s ‘untimely death’ https://t.co/G5DKjfDdM7
— Stamford Advocate (@StamAdvocate) January 3, 2023
Ismalej-Gomez pleaded guilty in April to abusing then 8-month-old Rivera in 2021, the Advocate continued, citing court documents. The child had reportedly been taken to the hospital with a fractured arm, and doctors concluded the injury occurred by someone twisting the infant’s limb, according to the outlet.
At the time, Ismalej-Gomez was set to serve 60 days of a five-year prison sentence followed by three years of probation, the Advocate reported, citing judicial records.
Rivera was subsequently removed from his parents’ custody and placed in the foster care system, but he returned to his mother’s care in 2022 with court-ordered supervision that was still in place at the time of his death. The court had ordered Ismalej-Gomez to stay away from the child due to the April abuse conviction, according to the Advocate.
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) last had contact with Rivera about a week before his death, the outlet reported.
“During that home visit, the children were assessed to be safe after being interviewed and were visible to family members and community partners,” DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes said in a statement, according to the Advocate. The family had not reported any contact with Ismalej-Gomez, Dorantes added.
However, the suspect had been living with Rivera and his mother in the weeks leading up to the boy’s death, Supervisory State’s Attorney Michelle Manning told the Advocate.
Ismalej-Gomez allegedly entered Rivera’s room in late December and found the child dead. Ismalej-Gomez did not allow the child’s mother to call an ambulance, and instead allegedly placed the boy’s body in a bag and buried him in Cummings Park, Manning said, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Mom Allegedly Stabs Three-Year Old Daughter To Death)
Ismalej-Gomez purportedly took the child’s mother captive after Rivera’s death, holding her at gunpoint as they drove back and forth from West Virginia. The mother contacted the police shortly before noon Monday. The officers were then led to the boy’s remains, the Advocate reported.
Police allegedly detained Ismalej-Gomez on Tuesday as he was getting into a cab bound for New York.
Ismalej-Gomez has not yet been charged with the boy’s death and is set to appear in court Feb. 8. Police declined to say whether charges would be leveled against the mother. Ismalej-Gomez’s bond is set at $3 million as authorities believe he is a flight risk, the Advocate reported.