Judge breaks down in tears as she sentences couple for killing disabled boy

A judge broke down in tears on Thursday while sentencing a mother and her boyfriend for killing a five-year-old developmentally disabled boy before burying him in the backyard of their Cleveland home.

Larissa Rodriguez, 34, and Christopher Rodriguez, 36, were sentenced to 25 and 28 years in prison respectively for the death of Jordan Rodriguez, whose body was found in December wrapped in blankets strewn with mothballs.

Investigators have not been able to determine how the five-year-old died, but said he had previously fractured his wrist and several ribs – likely signs of child abuse. Jordan was born premature with only one kidney and could not speak.

Christopher Rodriguez, 36

Larissa Rodriguez, 34, and Christopher Rodriguez, 36, were sentenced to 25 and 28 years in prison respectively on Thursday (when they are pictured) for the death of Jordan Rodriguez, whose body was found in December wrapped in blankets strewn with mothballs

Investigators have not been able to determine how the five-year-old died, but said he had previously fractured his wrist and several ribs - likely signs of child abuse. He is pictured on the left with his mother

Investigators have not been able to determine how the five-year-old died, but said he had previously fractured his wrist and several ribs – likely signs of child abuse. He is pictured on the left with his mother

Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, wiping away tears, told the pair: ‘This is a horror. I know as a judge I’m not supposed to show emotion.

‘In 22 years I never have. This is one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t know how you live with yourself.’

Jordan was found buried in a four-foot hole with a diaper over his head, while mothballs were wrapped in blankets around his body to stop animals from digging him up, reported Cleveland.com.

According to Larissa Rodriguez, sometime in September Christopher – her boyfriend and not Jordan’s father – brought the child into her bedroom in a ‘semi-conscious state’.

Jordan (pic) was found buried in a four-foot hole with a diaper over his head, while mothballs were wrapped in blankets around his body to stop animals from digging him up

Jordan (pic) was found buried in a four-foot hole with a diaper over his head, while mothballs were wrapped in blankets around his body to stop animals from digging him up

Rather than seek help, Larissa gave him a cold shower and laid him down on her bed for 24 hours. After he died, they buried him in the backyard.

The boy’s death went unreported from two months until police received a tip from Christopher’s brother, Scott, who was serving with the military in Pakistan.

He told police his brother had confessed to burying the child’s body in a phone call.

Police found the corpse on December 19 are two days of digging.

Ana Rodriguez, Larissa’s sister, described her nephew as a ‘sweet kid’, who she once found tied up with a sock in his mouth at her sister’s home.

‘I’m just so hurt and angry,’ she said after the remains were found. ‘I don’t know why they would do this to him.’

The couple both pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, child endangering and gross abuse of a corpse on Thursday as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid murder charges.

Larissa Rodriguez gave birth to her tenth child in May while behind bars.

Social workers who visited Larissa Rodriguez's Cleveland home (pictured) shortly after she was charged with murder said conditions there were 'deplorable and unsanitary'

Social workers who visited Larissa Rodriguez’s Cleveland home (pictured) shortly after she was charged with murder said conditions there were ‘deplorable and unsanitary’

Social workers who visited her Cleveland home shortly after she was charged with murder said conditions there were ‘deplorable and unsanitary’.

It was also infested with rats and cockroaches, and one child was found eating a cockroach-filled sandwich when they arrived at the house.

The accounts were part of a filing by Cuyahoga County to persuade a judge to grant officials emergency custody of the four children who still lived there.

The probe led to the prosecution of social worker Nancy Caraballo, who was found to have bought food stamps from Larissa Rodriguez at a heavy discount in return for not reporting her neglect. She was sentenced to three years in prison. 

The probe led to the prosecution of social worker Nancy Caraballo

She was found to have bought food stamps from Larissa Rodriguez (right) at a heavy discount in return for not reporting her neglect

The probe led to the prosecution of social worker Nancy Caraballo, (left) who was found to have bought food stamps from Larissa Rodriguez (right) at a heavy discount in return for not reporting her neglect



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