CHICAGO (STMW) — A Northwest side man has been charged with murder in the death of a two-year-old boy. Officials are investigating an allegation of death by abuse in the case.
Jesus Rico, 29, of the 6000 block of W. Melrose, was charged Saturday afternoon with one felony count of first degree murder in connection with the toddler’s death, according to a release from police News Affairs.
Salvador Sanchez, 2, who pronounced dead at 6:19 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Police and emergency officials responded to a call of a non-responsive two-year-old around 5:50 a.m. Friday at Rico’s address, the release said. The child was transported to the hospital and was later pronounced dead, the release said.
A Saturday autopsy revealed that Sanchez died of multiple injuries and blunt trauma due to child abuse, and ruled the child’s death a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Police re-classified the incident from a death investigation to a homicide following the autopsy results, and an investigation is ongoing, the release said.
The Illinois Dept. of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is investigating an allegation of death by abuse against the live-in boyfriend of the boy’s mother, according to department spokesman Kendall Marlowe.
“DCFS has had no prior allegations concerning this child or this mother. We have had prior indicated investigations of abuse against this alleged perpetrator concerning one family in 2002 and another family in 2005,” Marlowe said.
“We also provided services to the alleged perpetrator’s family in 2002 and 2003 following the death of his own child in 2002. There was no allegation of abuse or neglect concerning this death reported at that time,” Marlowe said.
The child at the center of the 2002 indicated investigation of abuse was not the same child that died that year, he said.
Two other children at the Melrose Street home are now in the care of relatives, Marlowe said.
Police responded Friday to a home in the 6000 block of West Melrose Street after receiving a call at 5:50 a.m., police News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak said. It was not immediately clear who called police.
The Medical Examiner’s office, however, listed the boy’s address as 5732 W. Melrose St.
Grand Central Area detectives are investigating.
Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.
Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services