Mom's boyfriend charged with murder in death of 4-year-old - Chicago Sun-Times

BY DAVE NEWBART, TINA SFONDELES and Michael Lansu Staff Reporters November 27, 2011 1:46PM

Christopher Marroquin Valdez and mother Crystal Valdez, last Christmas. Chicago Sun-Times

Updated: November 27, 2011 3:28PM

Four-year-old Christopher Valdez's mother was convicted late last month of child abuse. Now, a month later, Christopher is dead, his mother is charged with concealing a homicide and her live-in boyfriend is charged with murder.Christopher died Friday, on his birthday, of blunt-force trauma and child abuse and his death was ruled a homicide.

Cesar Ruiz, 34, of the 5100 block of South Trumbull, who lived with the boy and his mother, was charged with first degree murder and concealment of a homicidal death, and on an outstanding warrant for a suspended/revoked driver's license.

The boy's mother, Crystal Valdez, 28, was charged with concealment of a homicidal death and endangering a child resulting in death. She had been convicted of child abuse in late October and ordered to take parenting classes.

On Saturday, the boy's uncle shared his grief.

"I want justice for my nephew," Joe Valdez, Crystal's brother, said Saturday.

Although it was Christopher's birthday Friday, Katrine Valdez, Joe's wife, said the boy's mother and boyfriend had not planned a celebration.

Instead, Katrine Valdez, who lives with her husband in unincorporated Chicago near Burbank, said she got a call from a neighbor and relative of the boyfriend who said the boy had been at her home for Thanksgiving and the boy had a black eye.

The couple went to the home in the 5100 block of South Trumbull to investigate, but no one would answer the door, Katrine Valdez said. When her husband attempted to open a first floor window, Crystal came to the door but tried to stop them from coming inside, Katrine Valdez said. Crystal told them her kids were with her boyfriend's grandparents, Katrine Valdez said.

But Katrine forced her way in, and they saw Crystal's 5-year-old daughter, Christine, lying near a rolled up comforter. The girl came over and greeted her aunt and uncle.

"The house was in disarray," Katrine Valdez said. "It was as if she was packing to leave the apartment. ... They were ready to leave."

Crystal Valdez then tried to stop her from entering the bedroom where Christine had been. Katrine said she pulled back the comforter and saw Christopher's badly bruised body.

"She pointed to the boyfriend and said that it was him," Katrine Valdez said. "The boyfriend pointed out that crystal was involved."

Katrine Valdez said her "husband got physical with" the boyfriend, then broke away and called 911.

Paramedics came and tried to revive the boy, but were unsuccessful.

"He was completely beaten up from head to toe," Katrine Valdez alleged. She said he had cover-up type make-up on much of his body.

Police took both the mother and boyfriend into custody at that point, Katrine Valdez said.

An autopsy Saturday determined that Valdez died from multiple blunt force injuries and child abuse, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. His death was ruled a homicide.

Two older children, ages 10 and 11, are in the custody of their grandparents, Katrine Valdez said.

The children's father, who asked not to be named, said he was not closely involved with the family anymore.

"Me and her really didn't have that great communication because she was mad, kind of always mad and had a bad attitude," said the father, who asked not to be named. "I always avoided that."

Tom Valdez, Crystal's father who on Friday declared his daughter "innocent of whatever happened there," would not comment when contacted Saturday night.

"As a family we are all in disbelief," Katrine Valdez said.

She said Crystal Valdez "was under a lot of stress" as an "unemployed single mom."

She called Ruiz "anti-social and violent." Tom Valdez said Friday the boyfriend "has created a lot of problems."

Katrine Valdez said the other children didn't appear to have been abused and relatives were unsure why Christopher was allegedly targeted.

"It's a question we are all asking ourselves. He was an active child. He was a normal child." He liked Spiderman "loved balls. He had a collection of balls. Soccer, baseball, footballs, beach balls."

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