Toddler’s death leads to murder charge

A mother and her boyfriend chronically abused and neglected a 2-year-old girl and didn’t take her for medical care until the day she died earlier this week on the city’s Southwest Side, prosecutors said.

The toddler, Allison Zelaya Ardon, died Tuesday morning as a result of multiple injuries to her legs, arms and torso, consistent with child abuse, after being found unresponsive, according to a statement from Chicago police and prosecutors.

Milixen Ardon, 24, and Wilfredo Cruz, 43, both of the 6600 block of South California Avenue and charged with murder, appeared in court Friday, police said.

Judge Mary Marubio ordered the two be held without bail during the hearing.

Ardon and Cruz were dating and lived together in a basement apartment since June. Allison was Ardon’s daughter but was not related to Cruz, prosecutors said, adding that on Aug. 15 an acquaintance of Cruz moved into their apartment.

The acquaintance and a former roommate both saw Cruz and Ardon beating and neglecting the child, prosecutors said. Once, the acquaintance found Allison on the kitchen table eating powdered creamer and sugar, prosecutors said, adding that she was often left in the home alone.

Whenever Allison did something Cruz or Ardon didn’t like, Cruz would make her walk back and forth in the hallway of the basement for hours, prosecutors said. When she would cry or stop walking, Cruz would yell at her to keep going.

Both Ardon and Cruz admitted to locking her in her room and tying her to her cot by the legs with strings, prosecutors said. Cruz also allegedly admitted to hitting Allison with a belt multiple times, and she was always dressed in long-sleeved shirts and pants to cover her injuries.

Both said they never took her to receive medical care until the day she died, prosecutors said.

The day before she died, the acquaintance heard Allison breathing strangely, so he got up, but she began breathing normally again so he went back to bed, prosecutors said.

At 3 a.m. on Tuesday, the acquaintance saw Cruz standing feet from Allison’s bed in her room and asked him multiple times if everything was OK, but Cruz did not respond, prosecutors said.

At 9:20 a.m., the acquaintance heard screaming and saw Ardon holding the child, who was limp and seemed lifeless. The acquaintance couldn’t find a pulse.

An upstairs neighbor called 911 and Allison was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 10:45 a.m., prosecutors said. Ardon and Cruz were arrested about two hours later at the hospital.

An autopsy, which determined her death was a homicide, found that she had suffered extensive wounds in various stages of healing that covered her body, arms and head. The fatal injury was a rupture to her stomach. It was caused by blunt force trauma such as a punch or hit to the abdomen, officials said.

The doctor said she could not use Allison’s skin as an indicator of malnourishment because she was covered in marks and bruises.

The doctor also noted that Allison was underweight and small for her age, prosecutors said. Her teeth were yellow and showed signs of not being maintained.

Cruz’s wife said Cruz had a history of domestic abuse and she obtained an order of protection against him, prosecutors said.

Cruz served one year of supervision after he pleaded guilty in 2016 to domestic-related reckless conduct, prosecutors said.

Their next court date was scheduled for Nov. 9.