STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT – A disturbing case involving the death of a toddler has reached a grim conclusion in court. A mother and father have agreed to spend more than a decade behind bars for their roles in the death of their 2-year-old son, whose body was found buried inside a plastic bag at a local park.
Iris Rivera-Santos and Edgar Ismalej-Gomez appeared in court on Tuesday and formally pleaded guilty to all charges. These included intentional cruelty to a child, risk of injury to a child, tampering with physical evidence, and moving a dead body without a permit.
The Plea Deal
In exchange for their pleas, a Fairfield County Superior Court judge accepted a deal that mandates a significant prison term. Both the mother and father are required to serve 16 years in a state correctional facility for the death of young Liam Rivera.
Despite the guilty pleas, neither parent admitted to actually killing the boy. The medical examiner determined that Liam died from multiple blunt force traumas to the head. Ismalej-Gomez's attorney stated that his client still maintains his innocence regarding the actual death but accepted responsibility for his "horrible choices" afterward.
A Brutal Discovery
The tragedy came to light on January 2, 2023. Police found Liam wrapped in plastic bags and buried in a shallow grave at Cummings Park, which sits about 40 miles northeast of Manhattan.
The investigation initially began when officers received a call about a kidnapping. However, information quickly led them to the park instead. Police Chief Timothy Shaw stated that officers located an area with fresh dirt moved around. They dug into the spot and unearthed the plastic bag containing the 2-year-old.
False Claims
Rivera-Santos initially tried to frame the narrative differently. She told investigators that she found Liam dead in her room and that Ismalej-Gomez then held her hostage at gunpoint for several days. She claimed he forced her to travel with him to West Virginia before she escaped.
Detectives later disproved her story. They recovered deleted text messages from her phone that showed the kidnapping claim was fabricated. The couple is now scheduled to appear for their formal sentencing hearing on February 10, 2026.
For more cases related to crimes against children and shocking family cover-ups, checkout our video here:
.png)
.png)
