CHRISTIANO BELLE-FELIX - 1 yo (2009) - Boca Raton FL

by TomTerrific0420 Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:23 pm

A Boca Raton man was charged with first-degree murder in the beating death of a 1-year old baby.The
state's child welfare agency investigated a claim that Christiano
Belle-Felix was at risk of abuse or neglect in April. The investigation
did not involve Carlos Rivera, the man now charged with the child's
death."We found the child was not injured and was not at risk of
abuse. We offered services to the mother at the time and closed the
investigation in June," Department of Children and Families spokesman
Joe Follick told The Associated Press on Thursday.Six months
later, Rivera called police to say the baby wasn't breathing. Boca
Raton Police found visible bruises covering the child's face and body
on Dec. 19. He died the next day, according to a police report.An
autopsy revealed the baby had a depressed skull fracture, retinal
hemorrhaging, and a fractured or dislocated right elbow. Multiple
bruises were also found, according to Boca Raton Police.Rivera
was arrested Wednesday after the baby's death was ruled a homicide. The
19-year-old also was charged with aggravated child abuse. He is being
held on $100,000 bond. It is unclear if he had an attorney.
The baby's mother told police that Rivera was alone with the baby several times when the child was injured.The
death comes days after a state report showing a 20 percent increase in
child abuse deaths. Many were left alone with young men while the
mothers were gone.DCF couldn't say what prompted the
investigation earlier this year. There was no indication that Rivera
was in that home at the time the investigation, Follick said.DCF
officials referred the child's mother to Safety Net, a program that
helps protect women and children in violent relationships. It is
unclear whether she used the services.

by Watcher_of_all Wed May 04, 2011 3:28 pm

Carlos Rivera kicked the baby in the stomach to see if he was ok

CHRISTIANO BELLE-FELIX - 1 yo (2009) - Boca Raton FL 0e59e_2mz9j7l

This morning, both attorney Ralph Hagans and Rivera’s mother told the judge the baby had a history of falling, especially on his head.
"My girlfriend’s baby is not breathing!" Rivera shouted on the 911 recording, released by police.
As Rivera forwarded cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions from the 911 operator, his mother could be heard sobbing.
"’I'm pressing down," Delao said. "Please. Help!"
Then Rivera was heard saying, "The paramedics are here. C’mon. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! In the back room! In the back room! Here! Here!"
The police report said an officer found Rivera’s mother, with the child across her lap, attempting CPR.
It said the weeping woman handed the limp child to the officer, who found no evidence of breathing or a pulse.
Fire Rescue workers who took the baby to Boca Raton Community Hospital saw bruising on his face and body.
Christiano later was transferred to Delray Medical Center in critical condition; he died the next evening.
The doctor who performed the autopsy "advised that the injuries could not have been sustained by the child thrusting himself backward in the playpen, as Carlos Rivera claimed, or by falling out," the report said.
The child’s mother, Jessica Belle-Chaves, who had moved in with Rivera and Delao a few weeks earlier, told police that, a few days before the child died, she had left Rivera home alone with Christiano for 15 minutes. When she’d returned, she said she found the child with redness on his forehead and head and a swollen right arm.
She said Rivera had said the baby had fallen, but she also said that room was carpeted, the report said.
The day Christiano was hurt, the child’s mother said, Rivera had ordered her out of the home, and when she’d returned, she found the baby lying on the floor.
She said Rivera told her he’d found the baby biting his lip and clenching his hands and "panicked and kicked the baby in the stomach to see if he was ok," the report said.
It said Belle-Chaves told police Rivera then told her "the baby appeared to snap out of it and he put him back in the playpen."
She said she saw the injuries and suggested taking the baby to a hospital.
But she said Rivera told her he feared the Florida Department of Children and Families would take the child.
Rivera later told police the baby had "hit his head really bad" but was OK the rest of that day and the morning.
He said the boy had gone to sleep. When he checked on the baby 30 minutes earlier, he was unresponsive and turning blue.
That’s when Rivera called 911, police said.

http://www.crimecrawlers.com/?p=287

by mermaid55 Sun Jun 05, 2011 5:35 pm

EventDate/TimeRoomLocationJudge/Commissioner

STATUS CHECK

10-AUG-2011
08:30 AM

MAIN BRANCH

COURTROOM 10F

MILLER, JUDGE KAREN

http://courtcon.co.palm-beach.fl.us/pls/jiwp/ck_public_qry_doct.cp_dktrpt_frames?backto=P&case_id=502009CF016351AXXXMB&begin_date=&end_date=

by twinkletoes Mon Sep 02, 2013 2:04 am

Convicted Boca Raton baby murderer to appeal life sentence

Cristiano Belle-Felix died just before 1^s^t birthday in Dec. 2009

CHRISTIANO BELLE-FELIX - 1 yo (2009) - Boca Raton FL 404x525

CHRISTIANO BELLE-FELIX - 1 yo (2009) - Boca Raton FL 404x525

Carlos Jose Rivera, 22, of Boca Raton has been sentenced to life in prison for his first-degree murder conviction in the Dec. 20 2009 death of Cristiano Belle-Felix, his former girlfriend's 12-month-old son. (Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office / December 30, 2009)

By Marc Freeman, Sun Sentinel

8:18 p.m. EDT, September 1, 2013

For Cynthia Sahagun, the "monster" who killed her grandson, Cristiano Belle-Felix, got the life sentence he deserved in his first-degree murder case.

Carlos Jose Rivera's actions caused Cristiano's death on Dec. 20, 2009, the day before his first birthday.

"This [sentence] may not bring back my grandson, but justice was served," said Sahagun, of San Fernando, Calif., who urged Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Sandra McSorley to show no mercy toward Rivera at his Aug. 15 sentencing. "And now we can start our healing process and Cristiano's memory will be kept alive."

Sahagun's son, Victor Felix Jr., was Cristiano's father. For most of the baby's life, Felix lived with his family in California after his relationship with Cristiano's mother, Jessica Belle-Chaves, fizzled and she got close to Rivera.

At the time of the tragedy, Rivera and Belle-Chaves were dating and living at Rivera's mother's home in the 400 block of Hardwood Place in Boca Raton.

An autopsy detailed extreme trauma: a depressed skull fracture, retinal hemorrhaging, dislocated right elbow, ruptured ear drum, forehead bruises, injured spleen, clogged lungs, and a third-degree burn from an iron on one hand.

While the medical examiner ruled Cristiano's death a homicide, the defense claimed the child had a series of bad falls while in the custody of his mother and the burn was accidental.

On June 12, a 12-member jury convicted Rivera, 22, of the murder count and aggravated child abuse, after a nearly two-week trial.

Evin M. Daly, head of a Pompano Beach-based advocacy organization that helped Belle-Felix's paternal grandparents, said Cristiano didn't have to die. The CEO of One Child International thinks about the adults who failed the helpless child.

"During the trial, we heard witnesses say how they had seen Cristiano hurt and bruised in the weeks prior to his death," Daly said. "Had just one of those witnesses cared enough to place a call to the police department or the abuse hotline, there is a chance that an intervention would have saved Cristiano's life."

At last month's hearing, McSorley denied defense attorney Mark S. Lowry's request for a new trial and she imposed the mandatory life sentence for the murder conviction. Citing Cristiano's "immense" suffering, the judge also sentenced Rivera to the maximum 30 years possible for the child abuse conviction, to run consecutive to the life term.

Before the sentencing, Belle-Chaves, 23, gave a written statement to the court describing her sadness and regrets.
At the hearing, prosecutor Cheryl Caracuzzo read portions of the statement, which cites Belle-Chaves' current college studies in criminal justice and law office internship.

"I now know what signs to look out for in child abuse and domestic abuse," Belle-Chaves wrote. "I wish I wasn't so naïve and gullible back then, but at least I can help save another person from these torturous acts if I personally see or hear of them."
She concluded with her hopes Rivera will be miserable in prison "until you die and are then taken to hell."

Rivera declined to speak at the hearing, though his friends and relatives wrote letters on his behalf. Lowry said he plans to file a challenge in the 4th District Court of Appeal.

"Carlos has been shouting from the mountain top that he's innocent and hopefully the 4th DCA will hear his cries and reverse the trial court's rulings," Lowry said.

The appeal will include the judge's refusal to allow witness testimony that Belle-Chaves mistreated her son, and the court's denial to allow jurors to hear four audio recordings of Belle-Chaves' statements to a police detective, Lowry said.

Juror misconduct allegations also may be raised. The defense said one female juror rolled her eyes and smirked, and a male juror appeared to acknowledge her facial expressions, indicating they may have decided the case before all evidence was presented.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-boca-beaten-baby-case-sentencing-20130901,0,482818.story

by twinkletoes Mon Sep 02, 2013 2:28 am

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CHRISTIANO BELLE-FELIX - 1 yo (2009) - Boca Raton FL

CHRISTIANO BELLE-FELIX - 1 yo (2009) - Boca Raton FL

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