Posted on 07/31/2007 9:02:57 AM PDT by gridlock
A man and woman accused killing a 9-year-old boy at downtown Salt Lake City's Melting Pot restaurant last week have made their initial court appearance.
Pedro Gaucin-Canales, 36, and Rebecca Hernandez-Velasco, 19, are each charged with first-degree felony murder in the death of Josue Contreras-Velasco, who is the brother of Rebecca.
The charges read in today's video hearing allege the boy died of hypothermia after being held naked in a trash can of ice water for 45 minutes in the kitchen of the restaurant at 340 S. Main Street. Charging documents say the ice water was used as a disciplinary measure.
Defense attorney Steven Shapiro, appointed by the court to represent Rebecca Hernandez-Velasco, told reporters the case is a "family tragedy" that has been "exacerbated by an over-charge."
Shapiro contents the case should have been charged as a lesser child abuse homicide, which can be either a second- or third-degree felony, and implies that death was not intentional.
The two defendants, both in the country illegally, are to appear in court again on Aug. 6 before 3rd District Judge Sheila McCleve for a scheduling hearing.
They remain in jail in lieu $1 million bail each.
Why, we would have to be crazy not to welcome people with such innovative ideas about child care into our country, so we can learn from their exotic and foreign ways!
Celebrate diversity.
“the case should have been charged as a lesser child abuse homicide”
Huh?
Performing the freeze torture and murder Americans won’t...
They’re just killing the kids that Americans refuse to kill!
Great minds think alike. ;)
I would agree that it is a child abuse homicide. I am puzzled as to why that would be considered a lesser crime.
ping
Not to make light of the tragedy, but it’s ironic the kid froze to death in a Melting Pot.
Utah seems to have a lot of politicians who want to play footsies with the illegal immigrant crowd. I would like some to hear some comments on public record from them now.
Even more ironic that this pair of idiots, who are clearly not assimilating, work in a place called the Melting Pot.
These are the kind of people many of our “leaders” not only welcome into this country but want to provide them with perks, including citizenship.
They are hiding now.
I have a two year old who cries if she is not taken into every pool she sees - just loves the water.
However, in an 85 degree pool - 85 degrees - I can only let her in for fifteen minutes before she starts shivering. The 13.6 degree difference between the pool water and her tiny body's temperature is that punishing.
Somewhere there is a very comprehensive table of how long it takes for someone to die of hypothermia, indexed by weight and water temperature - it was compiled by Nazi scientists who killed hundreds of people to gain precise data.
These two murderers were possessed of similar cruelty.
Putting those two in a boiling pot of water seems just to me.
Well, here's hoping the State of Utah winds up providing these two with room-and-board for the next seventy years or so...
oh my God!
There have been so many stories lately of unthinkable acts towards children.
That poor little boy. I cannot imagine what he went through.
All she need do is prove that her clients are so stupid as to not realize what hypothermia is.
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