TEXAS RUIZ - 21 months (1/2011) - Corpus Christi TX

CORPUS CHRISTI - A Nueces County grand jury has indicted a Corpus Christi woman and her boyfriend on capital murder charges for the death of the woman's 21-month-old son.

Little Texas Ruiz died New Year's day from injuries police say were the result of a beating.

24-year-old Lorraine Rodriguez, the boy's mother, was indicted on a capital murder charge because police say she did nothing to stop the beating.

Her boyfriend, 22-year-old Juan Garza is accused of repeatedly beating the boy.

An autopsy found the toddler died of multiple blunt force trauma to his head and stomach.

CORPUS CHRISTI - Texas Ruiz's father and stepmother question whether Child Protective Services took the right steps to make sure their son was safe. He died on New Years Day from multiple blunt force injuries to his head and stomach.

"CPS should have been there to at least make a courtesy visit to their house and make sure she was doing ok," said the father, Raul Ruiz. He says CPS sent the boy to stay with his grandmother and her husband in July, but the boy's mother took him from that home in September.

After that, Raul and Lisa Ruiz say they called CPS a few times telling them they feared for the boy's safety. They say CPS didn't do anything. "If they would have made that visit maybe he would still be around," said Raul Ruiz.

Thursday evening CPS had this answer for Six News: "We review each child death... and in this case it appears we took the appropriate steps we believed would protect the child...Difficult decisions are made on a daily basis by caseworkers - including whether or not family members will protect the youngest and most vulnerable members of the family."

That didn't answer all of our questions about what really happened to Texas Ruiz, so we took a trip to CPS. Spokesman John Lennan said it's illegal for him to give any specifics in the case. The family says it will wait until the criminal trials are finished before filing a lawsuit against CPS.

Latest Update Victim's Father Forgives Convicted Murderer
10/28/2011 09:20 PM by Parrish Alleman
CORPUS CHRISTI -- Juan Garza was found guilty today of capital murder for the beating death of 21 month old Texas Ruiz.
"We the jury find the defendant Juan Garza, aka J.J. Garza guilty of the offense of capital murder," Judge Jose Longoria said.
Those words drew very little emotion from Juan Garza this afternoon but for the family of 21 month old Texas Ruiz they offered some peace.
"Now I can breathe, now my son can rest in peace," Texas's father Raul Ruiz said.
Ruiz tells us during the ten day trial there were plenty of uncertain moments when he didn't know if the jury would convict Garza of beating his son to death. But after nearly nine hours of deliberation, they finally came back with the decision Ruiz, his family, and the prosecution hoped for.
"We got justice for my son Texas, and I keep prayers for J.J. and his family. I mean nobody should go through it but I did and there's always going to be pain but the only way we can do it is pray," Ruiz said.
"It's a tough case. But this is a great day, this great day for Texas. I'm sorry he's not with us but this is a great day for him and his family," Prosecutor Brittany Jensen said.
Ruiz says he has forgiven Garza and Texas's mother Lorraine Rodriguez and will keep them in his prayers along with his son.
"We do miss him; we're always going to love him. He's always going to be in our hearts," Ruiz said.
The capital murder conviction has an automatic sentence of life in prison.

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http://www.kristv.com/full-coverage/garza-capital-murder-trial/#fcanchor