The investigation into the death of a 10-year-old Gilroy boy
visiting his father in Phoenix last month has led to charges
against the boy’s grandmother.
The boy’s father
– the woman’s son – is already in custody facing charges of
first-degree murder, child abuse, and sexual assault.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – The investigation into the death of a 10-year-old Gilroy boy visiting his father in Phoenix last month has led to charges against the boy’s grandmother.
The boy’s father – the woman’s son – is already in custody facing charges of first-degree murder, child abuse, and sexual assault.
Juanita Molina was arrested Friday in Phoenix, more than three weeks after the boy’s death. She was booked into jail on suspicion of child abuse, a felony, for failure to protect, said Sgt. Lauri Williams with the Phoenix Police Department.
“We’re pretty convinced that the grandma was aware of the situation,” Williams said. “Whether she was participating is no cause – certainly, she failed to protect.”
Ten-year-old Anthony Michael Fernandez-Rodriguez was beaten to death June 26, the day before his 11th birthday. He was physically beaten and sustained both head and body trauma, including internal bleeding, that led to his death, an autopsy revealed. Police arrested his father, Raul Molina Gonzales, 35, on suspicion of murder later that day. Gonzales remains in custody.
A Gilroy resident, Fernandez-Rodriguez and his two brothers, ages 13 and 14, had been staying with their father at Molina’s house for a summer visit since early June. The brothers are now back in California with their mother and stepfather.
Based on interviews with the two teenage boys, Molina was aware that her son was abusing the 10-year-old, but did nothing to stop it, police said.
“(Gonzales) immediately – about a week or two weeks into (the visit) – began targeting Anthony and beating him,” Williams said, “going into the room, locking the door, and turning on the stereo.”
According to the brothers, all three children asked their grandmother to call the police, but she refused, Williams said. She also reportedly refused to take the 10-year-old to the hospital when he asked to go and was complaining of stomach pain.
The day of Fernandez-Rodriguez’s death, Molina stymied the police investigation by indicating the boy died of natural causes, Williams said. Molina told police the boy had a long medical history involving a heart defect and may have died from complications of that defect, Williams said.
Fernandez-Rodriguez did, in fact, have a problem as an infant, but underwent surgery to remedy it and had suffered no effects since then, she said.
Molina is either 52 or 53, but her exact age could not be confirmed by deadline. It was unclear if she was still in custody.
Gonzales was released from an Arizona prison in February, where he was serving time for auto theft and weapons violation convictions.
