Jessica Grajeda, George Luis Almaraz Face Murder, Child Abuse Charges In 16-Year-Old Pomona Boy's Death
POMONA (CBSLA) — A Pomona couple faces murder and child abuse charges Thursday in connection with the death of a 16-year-old boy.
Jessica Grajeda, 35, was charged Thursday with murder and multiple counts of child abuse, according to the Pomona Police Department. The boy's father, 32-year-old George Luis Almaraz, was also arrested and has been charged with one count of felony child abuse.
Officers called to a home in the 600 block of Del Rosa Place Monday at about midnight to a call of "unknown trouble with someone requiring CPR" found the boy not breathing. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A Gofundme set up for the boy identified him as George Almaraz.
"They wouldn't let him call me," said Catalina Alvarez, the victim's mother, who lives out of state. "They told me he didn't want to talk to me."
Police say the investigation revealed the boy had been assaulted by Grajelda, his stepmother, just before the call medical help, and had been receiving significant injuries from abuse at her hands. The investigation further revealed that Almarez had been aware of the abuse and injuries, and did not do anything to stop it or seek medical attention for his son, according to Pomona police officials.
There were five more children in the home ranging in age from 13 to 1 year old. They did not appear to have been physically abused by the couple, police said, and have since been taken into the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services.
Grajeda is being held on $2 million bail and is scheduled to make her first court appearance Thursday. Bail and arraignment information for Almaraz was not available.
