Baby's death brings death-penalty charge
By Janice Morse
August 31, 2009
A Hamilton woman has been indicted on charges that could bring the death penalty in the slaying of her infant son.
In an indictment released today, Ascuncion Avila-Villa, 26, is accused of aggravated murder in the death of her 35-day-old son, Israel Santos.
She had reported the baby missing and told police that the baby's father had taken him -- but she said the father was a 21-year-old man. Authorities say they later learned the father was a boy under the age of 16.
But police say Avila-Villa killed the baby, put him into the trash and made up the story about him being taken.
Authorities allege an unusual motive: They say Avila-Villa killed the baby to prevent anyone from finding out that the infant's father was a juvenile.
Prosecutor Robin Piper said Avila-Villa was receiving public assistance payments -- and a government agency was insisting that the baby undergo genetic testing to determine his paternity so that child-support could be sought. That test was imminent at the time of the baby's death, Piper said.
Besides aggravated murder, Avila-Villa also is accused of gross abuse of a corpse, evidence tampering and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor -- the child's teenage father.
Last Tuesday, police found the child's body amid trash they had taken to police headquarters from Avila-Villa's apartment.
She is being held on a $1 million bond that a municipal judge set last week.
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20090831/NEWS0107/308250042/
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