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A Minnesota couple has been arrested for the murder of a “vivacious” three-year-old boy who police say was beaten to death while they were looking after him.
Rosa Esperanza Garza, 24, and Shiann Lynn Erickson, 22, have been charged with second-degree murder while committing felony child neglect and endangerment. The pair were booked into the Clay County jail in Moorhead, Minnesota on Monday.
The couple is accused of killing Eastyn James Deronjic, a toddler who was in their care for two weeks in March, according to the <em>Minneapolis Star Tribune</em>. The couple are acquaintances of the child’s biological parents.
An autopsy report last month revealed that the boy died from homicide caused by an assault, specifically a punch that perforated his bowel. The child had suffered 28 blunt force injuries, according to investigators.
In the early hours of March 18, police officers responded to a 911 call that reported a child was not breathing at the home of Garza and Erickson. The child had heavy bruising on his face and body, police said.
Officers carried out life-saving measures and transported the child to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, North Dakota. He later died from his injuries.
The child had been staying at the home of Garza and Erickson after being left there with his sister by their mother, Allandra Arechigo. She told police that she had left her children in Garza’s care and hadn’t seen them in two weeks. Garza goes by the first name Mason and uses he/him pronouns.
Arechigo told police that her son sometimes had bruises but she believed that the injuries stemmed from his clumsiness. The mother also said that she’d spoken to her son hours before he died and he sounded fine.
On March 19, Garza and Erickson told police that Eastyn’s injuries were caused by falls from his bike and skateboard.
They also told police that Eastyn had been ill, and vomiting throughout the day. They said they had called another woman, who has not been identified, to the apartment to care for the boy and his sister.
Erickson told police that Garza had abused her in the past. She also said that her partner had lost his temper with Eastyn and that she had to intervene to stop him from hitting the toddler.
Police officers seized the couple’s phones as part of the investigation. They found a message from Erickson to Garza stating: “Ok have fun with your little [expletive]. Go beat on her kid …”
The little boy was described as “very outgoing” and “vivacious” on a tribute page posted at Bougler Funeral Home, and noted that he loved playing with his Nerf Guns.
The child is survived by his parents, Arechigo and Omar Deronjic, grandparents, great-grandparents, and his little sister. The little girl has been taken into protective custody.
