Mom charged in beating death of son, 3
May 31, 2008
STNG Wire
WAUKEGAN – A 24-year-old mother has been charged with first-degree murder after beating her 3½-year-old son to death for wetting his pants. Bond was set at $5 million Saturday morning.
Sofia Nino, of 38569 Sheridan Rd. in Beach Park, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder following the death of her son, Azariah Nino, on Wednesday, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said.
Police were called to the woman’s trailer about 10 a.m. on Tuesday after her 27-year-old live-in boyfriend called to report the child was unresponsive, Curran said.
Azariah Nino was initially taken to Vista Health Saint Therese Medical Center in Waukegan and was then transported to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee where he died from his injuries Wednesday afternoon, Curran said.
Sofia Nino is accused of beating her child after he urinated on his clothes Monday night. Witnesses say Sofia Nino struck the back of the boy’s head, took him into a bathroom and continued to beat him, Curran said.
Witnesses say they heard the sounds of beating and the child screaming while in the bathroom with his mother, Curran said.
The boy was then found standing naked in the bathroom, shaking uncontrollably and crying, Curran said.
Azariah Nino was pronounced dead at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee at 1:01 p.m. on Wednesday. A preliminary autopsy revealed the boy suffered a subdural hematoma. Numerous bruises were also found on the boy’s body, Curran said.
Three other children lived with Sofia Nino and her boyfriend in their Beach Park trailer. Two of them were Sofia Nino's children, including a 6-year-old boy, who was placed with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Curran said.
Sofia Nino’s next court date is set for June 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the Lake County Courthouse.