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Iris Rivera-Santos, age 29, of Stamford, was charged on Friday, Feb. 3 in connection with the death of Liam Rivera whose body was found buried in a plastic bag in Cummings Park on Monday, Jan. 2.
Rivera-Santos was charged with:
- Risk of injury to a minor
- Hindering prosecution
- Tampering with evidence
- Cruelty to persons
The charges are the result of an extensive investigation that was conducted over the previous weeks in conjunction with the Stamford State’s Attorney’s Office, said Stamford Police Capt. Tom Scanlon.
Rivera-Santos is currently in the custody of the Stamford Police Department and is held on a 1 million dollar bond, Scanlon said.
The father of Liam, who is a suspect in the case, Edgar Ismalej-Gomez, age 26, of Stamford, is currently in the custody of the Connecticut Department of Corrections from his previous arrest for violation of probation for breaking the child's arm by twisting it.
The department was led to the child's body after receiving a phone call on Jan. 2, regarding a kidnapping and a child buried at Cummings Park in Stamford, Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw said at the time.
Officers responded to the park and looked for areas with new dirt. Once an area was found, officers dug until they found a garbage bag that held the boy's body inside, the chief said.
There was an order of protection against Ismalej-Gomez from being near the child but he has reportedly been seeing the boy's mother recently, officials said.
After allegedly killing the child, with blunt force trauma to the head, according to the medical examiner's office, he then took the mother hostage and held her for several days, officials said in court.
"This investigation is a priority of this department and remains active," Scanlon said.
This remains a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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