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On Wednesday, May 1, Stamford Police Captain Tom Scanlon announced that Edgar Ismalej-Gomez, a resident of Stamford, was arrested for his connection to the death of his 2-year-old son, Liam Rivera.
The toddler's body was found buried in a plastic bag at Cummings Park in Stamford on Monday, Jan. 2.
The arrest of Ismalej-Gomez was made by the department in relation to an investigation that was initiated on the day Rivera's body was found in the park.
During the course of this investigation, inconsistencies were identified in Ismalej-Gomez's account of his involvement in the events leading up to his son's death, according to Scanlon.
More evidence discovered by authorities revealed his potential complicity in actions endangering Rivera's welfare in the days before his death, Scanlon added.
Ismalej-Gomez was arrested in a taxi on Jan 3, after Stamford officers conducted a search operation to find Rivera's alleged killer.
At the time of his original arrest, Ismalej-Gomez was charged with violating his probation for breaking the child's arm in 2021 by twisting it until it broke, authorities said.
According to court officials, Ismalej-Gomez allegedly killed Rivera with blunt trauma to the head and took his mother, Iris Rivera-Santos, hostage for several days.
The child's body was found after Stamford Police received a phone call regarding a kidnapping and a boy buried at Cummings Park, according to Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw.
After responding to the park and looking for areas with new dirt, officers dug until they found a garbage bag holding Rivera's body inside.
Ismalej-Gomez is now charged with:
- Cruelty to persons;
- Hindering prosecution;
- Two counts of tampering with evidence;
- Risk of injury to a minor;
- Criminal violation of a protective order;
- Conspiracy to tamper with physical evidence.
His latest arrest warrant includes a court-set bond of $1 million, Scanlon said.
In addition to Ismalej-Gomez's arrest, Rivera-Santos was also charged in connection with the child's death on Friday, Feb. 3.
Stamford Police are still actively investigating the case, Scanlon said.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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