Man Charged With Murder In 'Near Decapitation' Of 2-Year-Old Son

CHICAGO, IL — A father has been charged in the murder of his 2-year-old son on the Southwest Side. Police said the father "nearly decapitated" the child because the toddler was keeping him awake. The child was murdered in their second-floor apartment in the Little Village neighborhood, police said.

Rolando Ortiz, 37, is charged in the "horrific slaying" of Mateo Garcia Aguayo, police said.

"He was an innocent kid whose trust and safety was betrayed by the one man he should never have to question—his father," said Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson.

During a bond hearing on Friday, prosecutors said Ortiz demonstrated on a doll how he cut the boy's throat during an interview with detectives.

The child was found just before 2 p.m. in the 2700 block of South Avers. Police said the toddler's body was found in a trash bag on the kitchen floor. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The offender was very frustrated that he could not sleep," said Chicago Police Area Central Cmdr. Brendan Deenihan. "The 2-year-old baby was running around and keeping him awake, and he grabs the 2-year-old in the kitchen, and he holds him down. The offender then retrieves a knife, and cuts the baby in the throat."

Deenihan said Ortiz then made a "weak attempt" to cut his own wrists after he realized what he had done. Ortiz then placed the toddler in a garbage bag, and tried to call his wife but couldn't reach her, the detective said. The father then phoned his sister-in-law and confessed to the crime, according to Deenihan.

The sister-in-law phoned family members who lived in the building, and they went into the apartment and found the boy in the garbage bag, Deenihan said. The family members phoned 911, and Ortiz escaped, police said.

Ortiz was taken into custody in Kankakee County Wednesday. Police said his plan was to flee to Mexico.

"These are the kinds of tragedies that keep officers working without sleep, because many of us are parents and want to bring Mateo's family the same justice we would expect for our own children," Johnson said.

The 2-year-old was the youngest of seven children in his family, police said. A white cross with the boy's name was set up outside the child's apartment building. It was surrounded with toys, a basketball and other mementos.

Ortiz was in bond court Friday morning. He has been charged with one count of felony first degree murder.

Photo by Amber Fisher