Crime & Safety

Baby 'Probably' Beaten 4-8 Hrs Before Unknown Time of Death

A forensic pathologist testified at a Plainfield man's murder trial that the baby he allegedly killed was beaten four to eight hours prior to dying.

By Joseph Hosey

A baby was "probably" beaten four to eight hours before he died, according to testimony a forensic pathologist gave at a Plainfield man's murder trial.

Santos Loza, 33, was alone with 8-month-old Kevion Bender for about six hours the night before the baby was found dead on the floor. But no one—including pathologist Valerie Arangelovich—knows when the child actually succumbed to his injuries.

"The only person who knows for sure when this injury occurred is the person who did this to this child," Arangelovich said.

Arangelovich became testy when defense attorney Alexander Beck questioned her about using the word "probably" in her report on when the injuries were inflicted to Kevion.

"So you have an issue with the word 'probably?'" Arangelovich asked Beck. When he continued to question her, Arangelovich said, "I think we've already discussed this."

Loza was arrested in August 2010, nearly two years after Kevion died. Loza and Sitko were the only two adults present in Loza's townhouse the night before Kevion was found lifeless on the floor where he had been put to sleep.

Kevion suffered broken ribs, a fractured skull and numerous bruises before dying.

Loza and Sitko met on the Internet less than three months before Kevion was killed. After the meeting, Sitko traveled from her home in West Chicago to where Loza was living in Joliet about three nights a week to have sex with him. She would bring along both Kevion and her older son, Dillon, on her trips to Loza's place.

Loza moved to Plainfield prior to his arrest.

Closing arguments in the trial were scheduled for Tuesday morning.

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