Man Indicted For Grisly Tot Murder

A Corona man has been indicted for the murder of his son in an Elmhurst hotel room and will be arraigned in late August.
"The defendant is alleged to have intentionally caused the death of his baby son by hanging him with an extension cord under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life," said District Attorney Richard Brown. "The crime was shocking and saddening and the defendant must be held accountable for his incomprehensible actions."
Juan Batista, 27, allegedly hung his 22-month-old son, Omar Arias, with an extension cord from a shower rod in Room 303 at the Crown Motor Inn, located at 74-01 Queens Boulevard, after seeing his ex-girlfriend with another man. According to the Medical Examiners Office, Omar, who would have celebrated his second birthday next month, died of asphyxiation by hanging.
Alexandria Arias, the childs mother, broke up with Batista, and moved to New Britain, Connecticut with her son. She was in Queens visiting family when Batista picked up the child on Friday, July 25, and never returned.
According to police, Batista was bringing the child back to his mother, when he saw her with another man, and left with the child. Batista has been charged with two counts of Murder in the Second Degree, and faces up to 25 years to life if convicted.
The defendant is being held in custody without bail at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, where he is undergoing psychiatric evaluation. He will be arraigned on August 27 at the Queens Supreme Court.