Girl, 2, beaten to death by stepdad in La Union
A 2-YEAR-OLD girl died after her stepfather made her a “punching bag” in their house in Bauang, La Union.
Bauang Municipal Police Station deputy chief of police Maj. Renato Gacad identified the victim as Missy Cassandra Jade Rivera while the suspect was her stepdad Darwin Cortez, 21, both residents of Bgy. Boy-utan, Bauang town.
Prior to the killing, Missy Cassandra’s mother left for work and entrusted her child to the care of Cortez.
An investigation showed when the tot woke up and learned that her mother was no longer around, she started to cry.
Irked of the child’s loud cry, the suspect approached the child and punched her repeatedly on the stomach.
“Paggising daw ng bata, nag-iiyak ito dahilan para maburyong ang suspect kaya pinagsusuntok niya ito sa tiyan hanggang sa mawalan ng malay,” a prober said.
Seeing the kid unconscious, the stepfather rushed the child to the hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.
During an initial investigation, the suspect told police that the child fell from the stairs, but authorities were not convinced of Cortez’s alibi after seeing the tot’s bruises.
At the police station, Cortez admitted to punching his stepdaughter on the stomach five times to stop her from further crying.
Murder charges are being readied for filing in court against the stepdad. By Jane Eleda
