More than three years after his arrest, Luis Posso Jr. was sentenced to the maximum of 65 years in Indiana prison for the murder of his 12-year-old son, Eduardo.
(Courtesy Monroe County Jail )
After more than three years of hearings, trials, and appeals, Luis Posso Jr. was sentenced to the maximum of 65 years in Indiana prison for the murder of his 12-year-old son, Eduardo.
Posso carried his unconscious son into IU Health Bloomington Hospital’s emergency room around 3 a.m. May 24, 2019. Eduardo was pronounced dead shortly after.
Over the summer, Posso pleaded guilty to murder as a part of a deal with the prosecution. In return, the prosecution dropped the neglect, criminal confinement and battery charges. In addition, the life without parole enhancement was dismissed and federal charges are not being pursued.
In an August hearing, the state asked for the maximum 65-year sentence for Posso, citing immense harm Eduardo suffered, other minors present during the offense, and Posso’s custody of the victim.
Evidence submitted by prosecution showed video of Eduardo restrained in the bath of a hotel room where Posso, his wife, and their three other children had been staying.
Defense asked during the August hearing for the minimum sentence of 45 years with some type of probation, citing Posso’s compliance with investigators and admission of guilt as mitigating factors to consider. They said he didn’t have a prior criminal record and was unlikely to reoffend.
Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Christine Haseman, said during the October 6 sentencing that those factors had already been given weight in Posso’s plea deal. She added aggravating evidence brought forward by the state demonstrated Posso and his wife had tortured Eduardo, possibly for months prior to his death.
She said because of the aggravating evidence that indicated torture, she was recommending the maximum sentence. Posso’s lawyer indicated they would appeal the decision.
August Depositions
During the August hearing, witness deposition was given, which included emergency room doctor Kevin Moore who treated Eduardo on the night of his death. When Eduardo was first admitted for treatment in May 2019, doctors thought Eduardo was a four-year-old, rather than twelve, because he was so emaciated.
An autopsy report said Eduardo’s internal organs had started to shrink, indicating his body was metabolizing itself. Hair fibers were found in his stomach, another indication of starvation.
Posso’s 11-year-old daughter also provided a deposition in August. She said the night of Eduardo’s death she heard her parents beat her brother in the bathroom of the hotel where they were staying and run cold water over him.
Police investigation found that Posso and his wife had shocked Eduardo with a dog collar. In the daughter’s deposition, she said her parents had used it on Eduardo almost daily.
Of approximately 1 million reports filed every year with different protective services, around 330,000 are judged to be child abuse. According to the AMA, half of those abuse cases are physical, and a third are sexual abuse.
In a 2016 report, the CDC reported a key part of prevention is increasing capacity of state and local governments to implement effective interventions.
The CDC’s report said economic support of families with lower socioeconomic status is an important aspect, too. States can implement policies so that child support payments don’t affect the amount of money a custodial parent can get through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The report says tax credits for families with children help increase income for low-income families while incentivizing work. It also recommends different methods to provide childcare or offset the costs.
Predicted outcomes for these efforts include improvements to children’s health and access to health coverage, reductions in neglect, and reductions in physical abuse.
Indiana Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline: 1-800-800-5556
