CHRISTOPHER VALDEZ - 4 yo (11/2011) - Chicago IL

Mom, boyfriend charged in death of 4-year-old


Christopher Marroquin Valdez and mother Crystal Valdez, last Christmas. Chicago Sun-Times


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Updated: November 27, 2011 3:28PM

Four-year-old Christopher Valdez’s mother was convicted late last month
of child abuse. Now, a month later, Christopher is dead, his mother is
charged with concealing a homicide and her live-in boyfriend is charged
with murder.Christopher died Friday, on his birthday, of blunt-force
trauma and child abuse and his death was ruled a homicide.

Cesar Ruiz, 34, of the 5100 block of South
Trumbull, who lived with the boy and his mother, was charged with first
degree murder and concealment of a homicidal death, and on an
outstanding warrant for a suspended/revoked driver’s license.

The boy’s mother, Crystal Valdez, 28, was charged
with concealment of a homicidal death and endangering a child resulting
in death. She had been convicted of child abuse in late October and
ordered to take parenting classes.

On Saturday, the boy’s uncle shared his grief.

“I want justice for my nephew,” Joe Valdez, Crystal’s brother, said Saturday.

Although it was Christopher’s birthday Friday,
Katrine Valdez, Joe’s wife, said the boy’s mother and boyfriend had not planned a celebration.

Instead, Katrine Valdez, who lives with her husband
in unincorporated Chicago near Burbank, said she got a call from a
neighbor and relative of the boyfriend who said the boy had been at her
home for Thanksgiving and the boy had a black eye.

The couple went to the home in the 5100 block of
South Trumbull to investigate, but no one would answer the door, Katrine
Valdez said. When her husband attempted to open a first floor window,
Crystal came to the door but tried to stop them from coming inside,
Katrine Valdez said. Crystal told them her kids were with her
boyfriend’s grandparents, Katrine Valdez said.

But Katrine forced her way in, and they saw
Crystal’s 5-year-old daughter, Christine, lying near a rolled up
comforter. The girl came over and greeted her aunt and uncle.

“The house was in disarray,” Katrine Valdez said.
“It was as if she was packing to leave the apartment. ... They were
ready to leave.”

Crystal Valdez then tried to stop her from entering
the bedroom where Christine had been. Katrine said she pulled back the
comforter and saw Christopher’s badly bruised body.

“She pointed to the boyfriend and said that it was
him,” Katrine Valdez said. “The boyfriend pointed out that crystal was
involved.”

Katrine Valdez said her “husband got physical with” the boyfriend, then broke away and called 911.

Paramedics came and tried to revive the boy, but were unsuccessful.

“He was completely beaten up from head to toe,”
Katrine Valdez alleged. She said he had cover-up type make-up on much of his body.

Police took both the mother and boyfriend into custody at that point, Katrine Valdez said.

An autopsy Saturday determined that Valdez died
from multiple blunt force injuries and child abuse, according to the
Cook County medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled a homicide.

Two older children, ages 10 and 11, are in the custody of their grandparents, Katrine Valdez said.

The children’s father, who asked not to be named, said he was not closely involved with the family anymore.

“Me and her really didn’t have that great
communication because she was mad, kind of always mad and had a bad
attitude,” said the father, who asked not to be named. “I always avoided
that.”

Tom Valdez, Crystal’s father who on Friday declared
his daughter “innocent of whatever happened there,” would not comment
when contacted Saturday night.

“As a family we are all in disbelief,” Katrine Valdez said.

She said Crystal Valdez “was under a lot of stress” as an “unemployed single mom.”

She called Ruiz “anti-social and violent.” Tom Valdez said Friday the boyfriend “has created a lot of problems.”

Katrine Valdez said the other children didn’t
appear to have been abused and relatives were unsure why Christopher was allegedly targeted.

“It’s a question we are all asking ourselves. He
was an active child. He was a normal child.” He liked Spiderman “loved
balls. He had a collection of balls. Soccer, baseball, footballs, beach balls.”

http://www.suntimes.com/9087687-418/mom-boyfriend-charged-in-death-of-4-year-old.html

Mom and boyfriend charged in death of boy killed on birthday

Cesar Ruiz and Crystal Valdez have been charged in connection with the death of Valdez' son Christopher who was killed on his 4th birthday. (Chicago Police Department / November 27, 2011)

1:14 p.m. CST, November 27, 2011

A man and woman were charged today in connection with the
beating death of the woman's 4-year-old son on the child's birthday on Friday, police said.

The boy, Christopher Valdez died of multiple
blunt force injuries from child abuse and his death was ruled a
homicide, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

He was pronounced dead at 3:10 p.m. Friday at Holy Cross Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Charged was Cesar Ruiz, 34, who lived on the 5100 block of South Trumbull Avenue with the boy and the boy's mother Crystal Valdez, 28.

Ruiz was charged with first degree murder, concealment of a homicidal death
and had also been wanted in a warrant for having a suspended/revoked drivers license.

The boy's mother, was charged with the
concealment of a homicidal death and endangering the life of a child
causing death, police said. Both are expected to be in bond court on Monday, police said.

Tom Valdez, the boy's grandfather said
relatives were planning a birthday party for the boy on Friday and had brought over a birthday cake.

When they arrived at the door no one answered until they kept pounding on the door because they suspected something was wrong.

When they got inside, they found Christopher’s body and called police,
Valdez said. Officials said the boy had been dead for several hours
before emergency crews were called.

chicagobreaking@tribune.com

Charges against the mother of a 4-year-old boy who was killed last week on his birthday were upgraded Monday to murder.

A tearful Crystal Valdez, 28, appeared alongside
her boyfriend Cesar Ruiz, 34, before Judge Donald Panarese Monday
morning, charged with the murder of little Christopher Valdez.

Ruiz was charged with first degree murder Sunday.
Valdez was originally charged only with attempting to conceal the murder
and with endangering the child’s life, but her charges were upgraded
Monday, assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Maureen Hughes said.

Valdez — who was convicted just a month ago of a
domestic battery of the boy, but was spared jail — gave a videotaped
confession, admitting she’d spanked the boy twice in the week before he
died, Hughes said.

She also admitted witnessing Ruiz beating
Christopher on Thanksgiving and on Friday, the child’s birthday, Hughes
said. Ruiz hit and kneed the child in the stomach repeatedly and Valdez
saw him apply make-up to cover the bruises, the prosecutor added.

Ruiz gave a videotaped statement of his own,
admitting he’d grabbed, spanked and hit Christopher several times, then
covered up the bruises with make-up, it’s alleged.

Valdez’s brother and sister-in-law found
Christopher’s dead body wrapped in a blanket at his home in the 5100
block of South Trumbull Friday after concerned relatives called and told
them he had appeared at a Thanksgiving celebration with a swollen eye,
Hughes said. Christopher had refused to eat at the dinner and had
vomited, she said.

Confronted by her brother and sister-in-law at her
home Friday, Valdez lied and claimed the children were not there, Hughes
said. When they found the body, she yelled that Ruiz had done it,
Hughes added.

Paramedics noticed the make-up used to conceal the injuries to Christopher’s face and arms, she said.

Caroline Glennon, an assistant public defender
representing Valdez, said Valdez was a mom of four who had special
educational needs as a result of lead poisoning as a child. She has
split up with Ruiz, Glennon said.

Valdez wept and exclaimed “I didn’t do anything” towards relatives in the gallery after the judge set her bail at $750,000.

The tattooed Ruiz gave no show of emotion as he was ordered held on bail of $2.5 million.

Outside court, Ruiz’s sister Maria Castillo said
she did not understand why her brother’s bail was higher than Valdez’s,
given her history of violence against Christopher, or why Valdez was
allowed to continue to raise the boy.

Valdez was convicted of domestic battery Oct. 24
and sentenced to parenting classes and a conditional discharge by Judge
James Patrick Murphy. She admitted punching Christopher in July “because
she was angry” and to using make up to cover up his injuries at that
time, Hughes said in court Monday.

An Illinois Department of Children and Family
Services investigation in August found that allegations of neglect in
Valdez’s case were substantiated, DCFS spokesman Kendall Marlowe said
Sunday, but allegations of abuse were not substantiated.

“Why the children were given back to her I have no idea — it’s beyond me,” Castillo said Monday. “It’s a tragedy.”
http://www.suntimes.com/news/crime/9118465-418/murder-charges-filed-against-mother-of-slain-4-year-old-boy.html

Poor sweet little Christopher. At least he is safe with the angels now instead of being hurt by two monsters. It is such a tragedy what happened to him. I'm glad they are charging the mother with murder. She hurt that boy before and was told to stop. She's just a culpable as she's his mother and should have been protecting him. I hope both murderers rot in jail.

Another POS baby killer crying for herself. Thank heavens she was charged also. This needs to happen more frequently.

I will never understand it.

A mom accused of helping her boyfriend beat her son
to death on the boy’s 4th birthday last week needed help to tackle
thoughts of suicide, a therapist recommended just 10 days before the boy
was killed.

Crystal Valdez, 28, had to be reminded of the
importance of taking her mental health medication and needed treatment
for her anger issues, according to a social service report filed in
court Thursday.

The report raises further questions about authorities’ handling of the tragic child abuse death of little Christopher Valdez.

Though Crystal Valdez was convicted last month of a
June 29 domestic battery against the boy, Cook County Judge James
Murphy spared her jail and sentenced her instead to parenting classes
and a conditional discharge. Despite the conviction and her confession
in that earlier case, the Illinois Department of Children and Family
Services decided there was not “credible evidence” of abuse, allowing
her to continue raising the boy.

Charged Monday alongside her boyfriend Cesar Ruiz
with murdering Christopher last Friday, Crystal Valdez Thursday made her
first appearance before Judge Murphy since her son’s death, charged
with violating her conditional discharge.

Murphy did not comment during the hearing on his earlier decision not to jail Valdez.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/crime/9183423-418/mom-didnt-take-meds-was-suicidal-week-before-allegedly-killing-son.html

This is such a sad case. The poor little boy has been abused for a while and then was beat to death by TWO monsters. I hope they both get the maxiumum penalty and that IL is not a lenient state when it comes to the death of a child. I don't understand how murders get stiff sentences when they kill an adult but not a child. And these two knew what they did as they used make up to try to cover up. Obviously, the big bad Ruiz got the idea from the mother as she used make up in the past to cover up the boys bruises. Sheesh, this is so sad. Please jury and/judge give them LIFE in prison.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-12-28/news/ct-met-dcfs-boy-murdered-20111220_1_abuse-investigation-abuse-or-neglect-valdez

When Crystal Valdez brought her son Christopher to the emergency room last July, a doctor quickly suspected the boy hadn't been hurt in the way his mom claimed.

The bright-eyed 3-year-old with a shock of brown hair and a fascination with superheroes had a golf ball-size lump on his head and a black eye, as well as bruises and welts all over his body.

His mother said the rambunctious toddler had fallen from the patio at the home she shared with her boyfriend, Cesar Ruiz. But the doctor saw clear indications of abuse and made a hotline report notifying the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, which launched an investigation.

The next month, DCFS cleared Valdez of abuse and allowed Christopher to remain with her, even though she had confessed to police that she had beaten him and faced criminal charges over the incident.

The little boy was found dead on the day after Thanksgiving, his body covered with makeup in a crude attempt to hide still more bruises, prosecutors said. According to the first-degree murder charges against them, Ruiz pummeled Christopher to death while his mother watched and did nothing to intervene. It was Christopher's fourth birthday.

Documents obtained by the Tribune as well as court records reveal the agency closed the July abuse investigation sooner than it normally would, missed or ignored key elements of the parallel police investigation, and accepted Valdez's explanation for Christopher's injuries although medical experts concluded he had been physically abused.

"It is absolutely insane what occurred in this case," said Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris, whose office represents wards of the state but wasn't involved in Christopher's care. "A lot of stuff goes on before a child dies from abuse or neglect. The fact that they missed it totally speaks to someone not doing their job."

In late August, while Valdez, 28, was still awaiting trial on domestic battery charges, the agency found no credible evidence of abuse. Instead, it concluded Valdez merely left the boy unattended, according to records. DCFS found Valdez guilty of neglect and recommended parenting services but took no further action.

While declining to comment on Christopher's case, DCFS spokesman Kendall Marlowe said that generally investigators should not close an abuse investigation while criminal charges are still pending against an alleged abuser.

State records obtained by the Tribune show that the agency appeared to ignore other protocols as well. The case notes make no mention of key details of the police investigation into Christopher's injuries, including the mother's tearful confession that she beat Christopher and had "anger issues."

In more than 30 pages of case notes reviewed by the newspaper, the agency mentioned Valdez's pending criminal case only once. On Aug. 30, an investigator reported that she called the state's attorney's office and spoke to someone who informed her "there is no disposition on the case." There is no record the agency ever called the police detective who interviewed Valdez at the hospital.

That same day, the DCFS investigation was officially closed with a determination that Christopher's injuries — the black eye, swollen head and even bruises on his thigh that the doctor said appeared to be in the shape of fingerprints — were accidental.

Trouble at DCFS


'It is absolutely insane what occurred in this case'


January 01, 2012

He was 4 years old, barely. When relatives saw Crescencio "Christopher"
Valdez on Thanksgiving, he had a swollen eye and bruises and he was
throwing up. When relatives checked on him the next day, they found him
under a blanket. Makeup covered his bruises. He was dead. It was his
birthday.

His mother, Crystal Valdez, and her boyfriend, Cesar
Ruiz, are charged with his murder. Authorities say Valdez watched while
Ruiz beat the child to death.

Illinois has a gut-check moment. There's trouble at the Department of Children and Family Services.
There are jobs in government that can be done poorly without terrible
consequences. Protecting children isn't one of them. DCFS has proved
that in the past.

It has proved that anew. It failed to protect Christopher Valdez.

Last week, the Tribune's Jason Meisner reported more details about what DCFS knew, or should have known, about
the little boy's final months. Back in July, Crystal Valdez took
Christopher to the emergency room to be treated for lumps and bruises
and a black eye. A doctor, understandably suspicious, contacted the DCFS
abuse hotline.

Police and DCFS launched separate investigations.
Valdez told police that she had hit the child, and she was charged with
misdemeanor aggravated battery.

The Tribune's review of state
records in the case show that DCFS workers made little effort to learn
the details of the police investigation. Example: "There is no record
the agency ever called the detective who interviewed Valdez at the
hospital," Meisner reported. DCFS closed its case and allowed the boy to
stay with his mother, even though the criminal charges against her were
still pending.

"It is absolutely insane what occurred in this case," Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris told the Tribune.

•••
The Department of Children and Family Services has gone through a
revolution in the last couple of decades. Things were grim in the 1980s
and 1990s: The number of abused and neglected children soared, the
agency and the juvenile courts were overwhelmed by the number of cases
and saddled by incompetence.

Illinois faced a crisis, and state
government responded. DCFS hired more caseworkers, and the caseworkers
were trained to make better decisions.

But there were warning
signs at DCFS during the tenure — you won't be shocked by this — of
former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. He filtered the agency's top ranks with
political hires. DCFS employs a lot of people and doles out a lot of
contracts, you know.

A Blagojevich crony, Bamani Obadele, resigned
as deputy director in 2005 after an investigation by the DCFS inspector
general found he had profited from state contracts. Obadele pleaded
guilty in 2010 to a federal fraud charge. He admitted he had pressed
DCFS vendors and contractors to buy products from a company he owned and
subcontract work to another company linked to him.

In August, DCFS Director Erwin McEwen abruptly resigned. Weeks later, the DCFS
inspector general and the state executive inspector general reported
that a politically connected contractor linked to McEwen had received
millions of dollars from DCFS and other state agencies for work that
couldn't be substantiated.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-01-01/news/ct-edit-dcfs-20120101_1_dcfs-inspector-bamani-obadele-public-guardian-robert-harris

Mother's boyfriend guilty in beating death of child on his 4th birthday

Police: Cesar Ruiz admitted he had struck the boy, said he 'lost control'

October 28, 2013|By Steve Schmadeke | Tribune reporter

• 
  

Christopher Valdez died of child abuse a day after Thanksgiving 2011 on his 4th birthday. An autopsy found 54 bruises and scrapes on the malnourished boy’s body. (HANDOUT)

A Cook County jury convicted a mother's boyfriend Monday in the beating death of her 4-year-old child less than two hours after a prosecutor described the murder as a "sadistic sport" for the boyfriend and mom.

Cesar Ruiz, 36, who had demonstrated for jurors last week how he earlier used makeup to conceal bruises on Christopher Valdez's face, shook his head and exhaled as his guilt on one count of first-degree murder was read at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.


The boy's mother, Chrystal Valdez, is still awaiting trial.

An autopsy found 54 bruises and scrapes on the malnourished boy's body, stretching from his buttocks to the top of his head. He was found dead on his 4th birthday, a day after Thanksgiving 2011.

Prosecutors said Ruiz beat the 26-pound boy and slammed him into a wall at their home on Chicago's Southwest Side. Police said he admitted to them that he had struck the boy and "lost control" the night before Christopher was found dead.

Three months before the boy's death, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services found that allegations of abuse were "unfounded" even though his mother had confessed to police that she had beaten her son and was still facing criminal charges.

The boy was allowed to stay in their home.

Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris, whose office is responsible for youths in state care, told the Tribune after Christopher's death that it was "absolutely insane what occurred in this case."

On Thanksgiving 2011, relatives noticed that Christopher was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up, vomiting and not touching his food. Relatives burst into the couple's home the next day and found Christopher rolled up in a blanket and dead. An uncle began hitting Christopher's mother and then struck Ruiz, who had said, "I'm sorry" and "It was an accident," prosecutors said.

Ruiz took the stand last week and told jurors he took the boy home from the holiday party but never beat him.

Ruiz's attorney, Matthew McQuaid, said his client had stayed too long in a bad relationship but did not kill the boy.

But prosecutors argued that Ruiz was a coldblooded killer who never shed a tear when horrific photos of the injuries inflicted on the boy were shown in court.

"He's the worst kind of murderer, the kind that picks a 4-year-old boy to be his punching bag," Assistant State's Attorney Lisa Longo said in her closing argument.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-10-28/news/ct-met-child-beating-death-trial-1029-20131029_1_christopher-valdez-4-year-old-boy-malnourished-boy