Charges upgraded to murder in baby’s death

In last night’s newscast we asked the question of who was safeguarding the rights of 18-month old Santos Alvarez, the baby who was killed when, through no fault of his own, he wound up in the middle of a street fight. Tonight we can report that at least someone values human life as the charges against the man who smashed the baby’s skull with a stick have been upgraded from manslaughter by negligence to murder. Julian Velasquez, a 34-year old Honduran, has been remanded to Hattieville prison and will reappear in court on June 2nd. Police continue to look for one Joseph “Mieto” Witty, the man who continued to hold the child even though Velasquez was trying to beat Witty with the stick.