States Attorney
FIRST DEGREE MURDER CHARGES FILED AGAINST MOTHER IN DEATH OF FIVE YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER
WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett announced today that Christina Beltran, 23 (d.o.b. 04/18/1984) of 8104 Waterbury Court, Apartment 401, Woodridge, has been charged with the murder of her daughter, five year-old Evelyn (d.o.b. 05/09/2002). The murder took place approximately one week ago. Beltran was charged last night pending her release from a local hospital.
It is alleged that on July 6 at approximately 5:50 p.m., Beltran took her unconscious daughter to a local hospital. When Beltran arrived at the hospital, Evelyn was unresponsive and displayed no vital signs. Evelyn was pronounced dead shortly thereafter with the primary cause of death determined to be blunt force trauma to the head. It is alleged that prior to her death, Evelyn Beltran was beaten several times by her mother. It is further alleged that on the evening of July 6, Christina Beltran, upset that her daughter would not do as she was told, threw her daughter to the ground causing Evelyn’s head to strike the floor. Additionally, it is alleged that Christina then got on top of Evelyn, repeatedly struck her about the head and face and repeatedly slammed Evelyn’s head against the floor.
“Simple words cannot express the horror that this poor child must have gone through,” commented Birkett. “She was systematically beaten until her little body could no longer absorb the blows. This defenseless child was unable to seek help. Evelyn’s suffering ended with her death. We will prosecute this horrific case to the fullest extent of the law.”
First Degree Murder carries a minimum sentence of 20-60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).
Beltran appeared in Bond Court this morning where Judge Bruce Kelsey set her bond at $2 million full cash bond. She is scheduled for arraignment on August 6 at 1:30 p.m. in front of Judge George Bakalis in Courtroom 4006.
“I would like to thank the Woodridge Police Department for their assistance in this matter as well as the DuPage County Children’s Center, particularly Bob Holguin and Carmen Easton for their fine work in this very disturbing case,” Birkett added.
The defendant is also the mother of 15 month-old twin boys who are now in protective custody. There is no indication that they were abused. The father of the twins is cooperating fully with law enforcement.
Members of the public are reminded that these complaints contain only charges and are not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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