An 18-month-old Idaho boy died after his mother’s boyfriend allegedly beat him so violently that investigators compared his injuries to a car accident at 70 mph.
According to court documents obtained by KTLA 5, Jesus Adan Castillo, 22, eventually admitted to police that he beat Zachary Tendoy, 1, after a night of drinking. Initially, Castillo, who is Zachary’s mother’s boyfriend, told police after calling 911 that the little boy fell out of his crib in the early morning hours of March 23 while Castillo was in the shower.
But an examination of the boy, who was declared brain dead on March 25, found that he had sustained injuries consistent with being violently beaten. Those injuries reportedly included multiple skull fractures, tears in major blood vessels, and retinal hemorrhaging.
“Doctors explained…to sustain these injuries in a child of similar size (they would have to have been) in an auto accident at 70 mph … and the tear in the stomach is equivalent to being secured in only a lap belt of the time of the accident,” the court documents reportedly state.
Castillo has been charged with first-degree murder. He is currently behind held on a $1 million bond at Bingham County Jail, and could face life imprisonment if convicted.
KTLA published a timeline of events based on the court filings. Castillo reportedly admitted to kicking, hitting and shaking the boy after a night of drinking. Zachary’s mother was reportedly asleep at the time of the beating.
The timeline published by KTLA reads, in part:
-Castillo went to shower when Zachary woke up and crawled out of his playpen. Castillo said he heard a thud and went to check on Zachary, who was upset. Castillo gave Zachary a bottle.
-Zachary was whining. Castillo said that’s when he pushed Zachary as hard as he could. The boy fell down into a door jamb.
-Zachary got up and continued to follow Castillo – “bothering him.” Castillo said as he walked away, the boy was behind him. Castillo said he “heel kicked” Zachary as hard as he could in the stomach. Zachary fell back, hitting a wall and door trim.
-Castillo then grabbed Zachary and tossed him back into the playpen.
-Zachary continued to cry and Castillo picked him up. He hit him as hard as he could and shook Zachary “a couple times.” He then shook Zachary “three to four times,” and then shook him “five or six times.”
According to KTLA, Zachary’s family donated his organs to eight children. A GoFundMe campaign was created to help cover funeral costs.
Photo: GoFundMe
