JOSE CORNELIO-ESPINOZA - 2 yo - Greeley CO

GREELEY, Colo. -- Authorities have identified a
2-year-old Greeley boy, whose death following a severe brain injury led
to the arrest of a 17-year-old family member who was babysitting.The
toddler, Jose Cornelio-Espinoza, died at Children's Hospital Colorado
in Aurora on Saturday, the Weld County Coroner’s Office said Sunday. The
cause and manner of death remained under investigation.Police
were called to North Colorado Medical Center Thursday after the toddler
was brought in with serious head injuries, said Greeley police Sgt.
Susan West. The child was immediately flown to Children’s Hospital
Colorado in Aurora.West said a 17-year-old male relative, who was
watching the 2-year-old, claimed the boy had fallen on the floor at the
family's mobile home. During the investigation, police determined that
the injuries were the result of "non-accidental" trauma, she said.
The babysitter was arrested and charged with child abuse resulting
in serious bodily injury.Family members in the home told 7NEWS their
attorney advised them not to comment to the media.7NEWS
was waiting for a response from the Weld County District Attorney’s
Office on whether the teen babysitter’s charges would be changed to
child abuse resulting in death.It's not the first time police
have been called to the home. Police said they responded to a call of a
verbal disturbance at the home on March 8th.Neighbors also told
7NEWS there was a loud argument at the mobile home last week when the
mother accused the boy of being drunk and ordered him to leave the
trailer."I guess he's had problems there," said John Garcia, who
lives a few houses away. "The mom there threw him out and threw his
clothes out."Police arrived and said the boy was intoxicated and
could not drive, neighbors said. The officers drove the teen elsewhere.
However, he returned the next day.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30757764/detail.html

DA charges teen as adult in toddler’s death

By Sharon Dunn, sdunn@greeleytribune.com
Monday, April 16, 2012

A Greeley teenager whose 2-year-old cousin died in his care changed his story to police three times before admitting that he shoved the toddler in a struggle over his cellphone while checking his Facebook account, according to a Greeley police affidavit.

Weld District Attorney Ken Buck on Monday charged the teen as an adult, filing one charge of child abuse resulting in death against Jesus Cornelio, 17. If convicted, he could face from eight to 24 years in prison, but prosecutors also could fashion a deal to put him in the Youth Offender System. In past cases involving juveniles charged as adults, lengthy adult sentences have been suspended if the teens successfully complete programs in the YOS system.

Buck on Monday declined to discuss his reasoning for charging Cornelio as an adult, but said there were several factors he considered.

“I can’t talk about the case factually, but I can tell you we considered all the factors regarding what’s in the best interest of justice and determined that this was an appropriate case to direct file,” Buck said. Buck said there were 11 to 12 factors to check off in filing an adult charge against a juvenile.

Cornelio is just a little over a month away from turning 18.

“Certainly the age at the time of the offense is a factor,” Buck said. “As we deliberated, we look at all of the factors. Some were present, some weren’t, some weighed more heavily than others.”

Police responded to North Colorado Medical Center on March 22, after Jose Cornelio-Espinoza was brought in unresponsive with a severe head injury. He was immediately flown to Children’s Hospital in Aurora, where he suffered a cardiac arrest during surgery. Doctors were able to revive him, but he died two days later.

According to a Greeley police affidavit, which Buck released Monday, Cornelio told police differing stories before finally admitting to shoving the child during a struggle over his cellphone.

Cornelio told police he was sitting on the couch accessing his Facebook account on his cellphone when the toddler kept trying to grab the phone, which angered him.

“Jesus Cornelio then stated he violently struck Jose Angel Cornelio-Espinosa in the chest, which caused (him) to fall backward and hit the back of his head, ‘hard,’ ” according to the affidavit.

Cornelio said he tried to pick up the boy and revive him by shaking him a few times, the affidavit stated.

“Once this happened, Jose Angel Cornelio-Espinoza began vomiting and became almost lifeless,” the affidavit stated.

In a rally outside the Weld County Courthouse last week, his family said that day was the first time Cornelio had watched the child. His father, Martin Cornelio, said his son was reluctant to watch the child because he was rowdy. But his family persuaded him. His family said he also was watching his 4-month-old nephew that day, and there had never been any problems. The family would not comment for this story Monday.

Originally, Cornelio told police the toddler fell from a couch outside of his presence, and he found the boy lying face down on the floor. He stated he tried to revive the toddler by giving him a bottle, then called 911 for help.

In a second interview with a different officer, Cornelio recited the same story, but he added that he had moved a coffee table in the living room prior to “engaging in horseplay with the boy.” He changed his story again, the affidavit reported, adding that he had been in the kitchen and had been watching the boy jump on the couch, before he fell off and struck his head on one of the coffee table legs.

“Jesus Cornelio (said) he did not tell the truth because he knew he should not have let Jose Angel Cornelio-Espinoza jump on the couch,” the affidavit stated.

As he continued to speak with detectives, Jesus changed his story a fourth time, this time admitting that he shoved the child in the struggle over his phone.

Cornelio admitted to moving the coffee table into the living room so it would look like he was playing carefully with the toddler, then called paramedics for help, the affidavit stated.

The affidavit stated Cornelio admitted to being a previous gang member, but Buck said he did not consider the teen an active player, and it played no role in determining his charge.

Cornelio is due in court for a formal advisement by Weld District Court Judge Thomas Quammen on April 26.

The last major case in which Buck filed an adult charge on a teenager involving a death was in 2007, when Carlos Manzo, 15, took his father’s pickup and ran over two young girls, killing one, in east Greeley. Buck filed adult charges against him, and crafted a deal in which he would be sentenced to 12 years in prison, which would be cut in half if he could successfully complete the Youth Offender System.

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20120416/NEWS/704169973

A Greeley teenager has pleaded guilty to child abuse resulting in the death of his 2-year-old cousin.
Prosecutors said Monday that a plea agreement for
18-year-old Jesus Cornelio stipulates that an 18-year sentence be
suspended if he successfully completes six years in the Youth Offender
System. He is due to be sentenced July 18.

Police say Cornelio told investigators hestruck and
shook his cousin Jose Cornelio-Espinoza on March 22 after the toddler
tried to grab his cellphone. The boy died two days later.
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/d26448dc37d44de899bf3fe0dc0589b3/CO--Child-Death-Cellphone

There is been a couple times that my 2 year old has grabbed my phone from the table or arm of the couch and said, in a sing songy voice, "I got your phone." Even when she's done it after I've take it from her and told her to leave it a lone the worst punishment she ever got was time out. I couldn't imagine pushing a 2 year old that hard, ever. I hope he doen't get the benefit of the youth program and gets the max sentence, no freaking parole! Although, perhaps the "family members" who presuaded the teen who was reluctant to babysite to babysit should be held accountable as well.

6-Years in Prison for Teen Who Killed Toddler While Facebooking
Posted on: 2:44 pm, July 18, 2012,

GREELEY, Colorado — A minor who was charged as an adult received a six-year sentence Wednesday for an incident that led to the death of his 2-year-old cousin.

Jesus Cornelio, now 18, was 17 years old in March 2011, when he struck and shook his cousin, Jose Cornelio-Espinoza, eventually causing the toddler’s death.

According to a police report, Cornelio was accessing Facebook on his cell phone when Cornelio-Espinoza grabbed at the device. As a response, Cornelio shoved his cousin in the chest, causing the toddler to strike his head on a coffee table. Cornelio shook the toddler in an apparent effort to revive him, but Cornelio-Espinoza began vomiting and became unresponsive.

He died two days later.

Cornelio had been charged with the task of babysitting Cornelio-Espinoza and his four-month-old nephew when the incident occurred. There were conflicting reports about whether or not Cornelio had ever watched over his two young relatives before. His father, Martin Cornelio, said his son had been forced to watch the two, who he called “rowdy,” during the particular occasion in question.

Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck made the decision to try Cornelio as an adult, saying it opened the possibility of placing him in the Youth Offender System, which, Buck’s office wrote, “has a proven record of rehabilitating young offenders.”

Cornelio pleaded guilty last month to one count of child abuse resulting in death, a class two felony. In addition to a sentence of six years in the Youth Offender System, Cornelio was given a suspended sentence of 18 years in the Department of Corrections.

http://fox8.com/2012/07/18/6-years-in-prison-for-teen-who-killed-toddler-while-facebooking/

Six years? I wonder how many he will actually have to serve. Not enough time for snuffing out the life of that little boy.

Why in the world did the mother leave her babies in the care of this violent kid? She had already had altercations with him and threw him out because he was drunk and fighting. Then she turns arounds and leaves her precious kids with them. Another case of a mom trusting an idiot with her children. Thank god the other baby wasn't harmed. I hope this murdered can be rehabilitated in such a short time.

babyjustice wrote:Why in the world did the mother leave her babies in the care of this violent kid? She had already had altercations with him and threw him out because he was drunk and fighting. Then she turns arounds and leaves her precious kids with them. Another case of a mom trusting an idiot with her children. Thank god the other baby wasn't harmed. I hope this murdered can be rehabilitated in such a short time.

You are so right bj! Personally I'd hold the mother more responsible in this case as I don't think hitting the child in the chest was meant to harm him - just to stop him from being an annoying tease. Sounds like the toddler only wanted attention and to be played with, and the 'babysitter' didn't seem like good babysitter material. Children are so vulnerable and so easily hurt. They are a very precious responsibility which too often is ignored. Isn't it ironic that every gadget we buy has "Handle with Care" yet no one applies this to children