Abuse was a ‘family event,’ Torres said in 2015 interview

BENTONVILLE — Mauricio Torres described his son’s abuse as a “family event” in one police interview and proclaimed the 6-year-old’s death was accidental in a second interview.

The jury spent Friday watching the 2015 interviews on the second day of Torres’ third capital murder trial.

Torres, 53, of Bella Vista is accused of killing his son. Maurice Isaiah Torres died March 30, 2015.

Mauricio Torres is charged with capital murder and battery. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Torres is accused of shoving a stick in his son’s rectum, causing an infection that led to the boy’s death. The injury happened while the family was on a camping trip in Missouri.

Capt. Tim Cook with the Bella Vista Police Department questioned Torres during the second interview. Torres talked about his wife, Cathy, and their relationship with their three children.

The 6-year-old is referred to as Isaiah, who had a twin sister, along with another sister.

Torres criticized his wife’s parenting skills in the April 6, 2015, interview and described her background as dysfunctional. He said she was jealous of his relationship with his daughter and she sometimes abused the girls.

He told Cook he and Isaiah shared a similar characteristic. Torres said his son was aggressive toward female authority. Torres said he had the same trait as a child.

Torres said Isaiah was sometimes disrespectful to Cathy Torres and he would come home from work and have to spank him. He said he spanked Isaiah with a belt.

Cook wanted to know whether Torres had used any other object to hit his son. Torres said he once kicked the boy in his buttocks.

He described his son’s abuse as a family event because not only did his wife abuse their son, but their two daughters also participated in the acts.

Torres told Cook that some of his son’s bruises were caused by his son, but others were a result of spankings where he and his wife crossed the line.

Torres said he didn’t step in and stop the abuse because he was afraid his wife would leave him. He described himself as a follower instead of the head of his household.

“I should have been more of a father to him … more compassionate,” Torres said.

Cook told Torres he knew why Isaiah died. He said he would tell Torres the boy’s cause of death but wanted Torres to explain the bruises and marks on his son’s back.

Torres said he couldn’t tell which of the marks were his or his wife’s. He also claimed that one of his daughters hit Isaiah with a sandal and made him bleed.

“Did you ever strike him with an extension cord,” Cook asked.

Torres paused for a moment before saying he had once hit his son with an extension cord when he couldn’t find the belt.

Cook told Torres his son died in part because of chronic child abuse, but the main factor was being sodomized so violently that it tore the lining and caused an infection that led to Isaiah’s death. Isaiah died within six to 12 hours after he was injured, Cook said, citing a doctor’s evaluation.

“Who raped Isaiah?” Cook asked.

“Not me,” Torres replied. Cook wanted to know who Torres thought raped his son with a foreign object.

Torres said it made no sense. He said he believes in punishing a child by spanking them or putting them in the corner, but rape wasn’t a form of punishment for him.

“That’s a horrible death,” Torres said as he denied any knowledge of the rape. He told Cook he wouldn’t let anyone harm his son in his presence.

Cook confronted Torres with the fact that Torres and his wife were the only two adults around their son at the time he suffered the injury.

Torres continued to deny any knowledge of his son’s rape. He said he never wanted his son to suffer such a horrible death. Torres said he thought the autopsy would determine that his son’s death was the result of a medical condition.

The interview ended after Torres requested an attorney.

Cook interviewed Torres again the next day at the Benton County jail. Torres requested to speak to Cook and waived his right to an attorney.

Torres wanted to know if the process would be faster with a confession and told Cook he’s not made to be locked up and has been contemplating killing himself. Cook said he couldn’t guarantee the process would go faster.

Torres then claimed his son’s death was accidental and because of ignorance of the parents. He said he couldn’t betray his wife even though he knew she didn’t love him.

Torres said Isaiah’s death was accidental and a part of him died when Isaiah died.

Torres was concerned in the interview people viewed him as a monster and was worried he would be treated harsher than his wife because he’s Hispanic.

Cook implored Torres to tell the truth, but Torres continued to say he couldn’t betray his wife.

He did tell Cook two people were responsible for what happened to his son.

Torres told Cook the incident happened in Missouri while the family was camping.

Cook asked Torres to tell him what object was used to hurt his son.

Torres again said he couldn’t betray his wife.

Torres told Cook he felt he and his wife were responsible for Isaiah’s death.

Cook asked Torres about the injuries to Isaiah’s head. Cook said Isaiah had 50 wounds to his head and it was one of the most difficult photographs he’s ever had to look at in his life.

Cook told Torres he believed Torres and his wife were equally culpable for what happened in Isaiah’s life. “Exactly,” Torres said. The jury trial will resume at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Prosecutors plan to play Cook’s third interview of Torres.