Father charged with murder of 2-year-old boy in Little Village

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Police have charged 37-year-old Rolando Ortiz with the murder of his son.

Police said 2-year-old Mateo Garcia Aguayo suffered severe trauma from laceration and fatal stab wounds. His body was found stuffed in a bag in his home in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood.

Ortiz was charged with one count of felony first degree murder Wednesday night.

In a press conference, Area Central Cmdr. Brendan Deenihan said that Ortiz confessed to police he was very frustrated that his son was keeping him awake by running around the home. Police said Ortiz then grabbed the boy in the kitchen and cut his throat. Upon realizing what he did Ortiz made a "weak" attempt to cut his own wrists, Deenihan said.

Deenihan said Ortiz then called his wife and told her what had happened. She contacted other family members, who live in the apartment below them, to check to see if it was true. Those family members immediately called 911 upon going upstairs, Deenihan said.

Ortiz then fled the scene, police said. He was arrested nearly 50 miles away, in Kankakee County, following a traffic stop by state police and the FBI.

Aguayo was the youngest of seven children in his family.

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

Authorities said Ortiz has no prior criminal record in the Chicago area and may have been attempting to flee to Mexico when he was arrested.

Thursday morning, a small cross bearing his name with a basketball next to it had been set up outside the boy's apartment building. Neighbors and friends, as well as people who have never met the family, left stuffed animals, balloons and other mementos.

Aguayo was found unresponsive in a third-floor apartment in the 2700-block of South Avers Wednesday afternoon.

Family members grieved as police went in and out of the building during the investigation.

One man said he saw a person, possibly a relative, running around looking for some kind of help. The man could barely talk and was shaking, asking to call the police to help look for a man who ran away.

"He told me that he couldn't talk and that he was shaking a lot so he wanted to see if we could call the police or something," said Rafael Abrego, a community activist.

Neighbors were horrified.

"I have kids of my own and I mean it's heartbreaking to hear something like that to a 2-year-old," said neighbor Jairo Cholico. "Heartbreaking, just to know it happened on your block."

"It's very devastating. Very sad for anybody, any age to be murdered of anything. So I'm just devastated," said Quenshoda Howard, neighbor.