ANAHIE FERNANDEZ - 2 yo - / Accused: Joel Adrian Cruz, boyfriend of mother - Largo, FL

By Josh Rojas, Reporter Last Updated: Sunday, May 05, 2013

LARGO --
A 2-year-old girl has died after being thrown against a wall by the mother's live-in boyfriend overnight Saturday, Largo police say.

Police say officers responded to the hospital at 3 a.m. Sunday after learning that the mother, Karina Mora, and her boyfriend, Joel Adrian Cruz, had brought the child in.

The girl, identified as Anahie Fernandez, reportedly had severe injuries to her chest cavity and no independent brain function.

Mora and Cruz were interviewed, and Cruz, 27, admitted to throwing the child against a chair and a wall, police said. Cruz was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse. Charges were later upgraded to first-degree murder.


Speaking outside All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg Sunday afternoon, Carlos Fernandez, the little girl’s biological father, said he had been waiting for family to fly in from New York and Puerto Rico before doctors took his daughter off life support.


"Half of me is missing right now. That's my child. I love her," he said.


The girl's grandmother expressed her anger.

"He's (Joel Adrian Cruz) a monster and I want him to pay,” said Ana Mercado. “I want him to pay for what he did to my grandbaby because it's not fair. She wanted to live. He's living, I want his freedom."

A few hours after those interviews, police sent out a release shortly before 6:30 p.m. announcing that the little girl had died.

“You know this could happen to any father," Fernandez said. "To every woman out there who goes out with strangers, please be careful with your children."

Cruz is being held in the Pinellas County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to make a first appearance in court Monday.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/5/5/largo_police_mom_s_b.html

Another little angel gone due to an evil boyfriend. William

LARGO --
The Largo man accused of killing a 2-year-old girl by throwing her against a wall is scheduled to appear before a Pinellas County judge Monday.

Joel Adrian Cruz, 27, is facing several charges, including first degree murder.

He was arrested early Sunday on an aggravated battery charge, which was later upgraded to murder when the child died.

Largo police responded to All Children's Hospital at 3 a.m. Sunday after learning that the mother, Karina Mora, and her boyfriend, Cruz, had brought the child in. The girl, identified as Anahie Fernandez, reportedly had severe injuries to her chest cavity and no independent brain function.

The child was taken off life support on Sunday.

The girl's grandmother, Ana Mercado, expressed her anger.

"All the time he has court, I am going to be there, I am going to be there," Mercado said. "He's a monster and I want him to pay. I want him to pay for what he did to my grandbaby because it's not fair. She wanted to live. He's living, I want his freedom."

Cruz and Mora were together for two years.

Cruz moved from Puerto Rico to live with Mora about seven months ago. He did not have a criminal record in Florida.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/5/6/man_accused_of_killi.html

This is most likely not the first time he has abused this baby.

Why wasn't the mother charged?

Another POS mother. Another POS man. Another dead baby