Posso and Flores both entered not guilty pleas.
(Courtesy Monroe County Jail)
The father and stepmother of a 12-year-old boy who the coroner says was severely emaciated at the time of his death entered not guilty pleas Friday.
The Monroe County Prosecutor's office filed an additional charge of murder against Luis Posso and his wife Dayan Medina Flores ahead of the hearing. Police say Eduardo Posso died as a result of abuse and neglect last week.
Posso now faces charges of murder, neglect, criminal confinement and battery. Flores faces charges of murder, neglect and confinement.
Police arrested them after Eduardo died at the hospital last week.
Charging documents say Luis brought Eduardo to IU Health Bloomington Hospital just before 3 a.m. May 24. He was carrying Eduardo because he wasn't conscious. Medical officials pronounced the boy dead shortly after he arrived at the emergency room.
Court documents say when police arrived to investigate the hospital staff told them Eduardo had multiple bruises, lacerations and ulcers in various stages of healing all over his body. An autopsy showed signs of neglect, starvation and physical abuse.
When police questioned Luis, court documents say he told them Eduardo fell in the shower the day before and sustained a bump on the back of his head that bled, but acted normal the rest of the day. Luis said he woke up to Eduardo struggling to breathe on May 24 and took him to the hospital.
"Luis was not able to explain the seriousness of Eduardo's condition, and just described Eduardo as skinny," court documents say.
Luis also allegedly admitted to spanking Eduardo with a belt, his hand and a flip flop. When detectives showed him a picture of several bruises Eduardo had, they say Luis admitted they were the result of the spanking.
Detectives also found restraints and a K9 shock collar in the hotel room where the family was staying at the Economy Inn in Bloomington. Court documents say a video they discovered on Flores' phone showed Eduardo laying in a bathtub with his hands and feet bound and the shock collar around his neck.
During her interview with police, Flores said the family moved from Florida after the Florida Department of Child Services got involved multiple times. Police say she initially denied knowing about any abuse, but later admitted Luis spanks Eduardo and has used chains or cords to restrain the child on more than ten occassions. She told police Luis used the dog collar to shock Eduardo and that most of the child's bruises were from him.
Flores also allegedly told police they would sometimes take Eduardo with them when they were handing out flyers for the circus they worked for, but occassionally left him chained or tied in the bathroom. She said they watched him using a wireless camera.
According to court documents, Flores told police Eduardo became increasingly weak and sick on May 23 and became too weak to feed himself that evening. She said he became cold and unresponsive to the touch early May 24, which is when she and Luis decided he should go to the hospital.
Three other children are in the custody of Child Protective Services. Court documents say none of them showed signs of physical abuse or malnourishment.
During the investigation, police interviewed the other children. Eduardo's 9-year-old sister told police her brother was thin and had stopped eating. She said her parents tried to give him some sort of medicine and would punish him for refusing to eat.
"She also reported that in the last few days, while Eduardo could still speak, he told her he just wanted to juggle and be free," court documents say.
Police say the 5-year-old sibling didn't acknowledge Eduardo as a family member at first. He drew a stick figure portrait of the family that didn't include his older brother. When a detective asked why Eduardo wasn't included, police say the child told her Eduardo was bad and not part of the family.
Luis and Flores are being held in the Monroe County Jail. They could have a jury trial as early as November.
