By Matthew Monks
Juan Batista, 28, of 35-28 99th St., pleaded guilty in March to using an extension cord as a noose on 2-year-old Omar Arias.”The defendant admitted that he committed a terrible and shocking crime: the hanging of his baby son,” Brown said in a statement released after Queens Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Hanophy sentenced Batista on April 20. “The sentence imposed by the court is more than warranted for taking the life of an innocent and helpless victim.”Batista killed his son on July 26, 2003 after a fight fueled by jealousy with the boy's mother, Alexandra Arias of New Britain, Conn., the TimesLedger reported at the time. Batista and Arias had been separated for a year and shared custody of the child. Aria left tiny Omar in Batista's care the night of the murder at Batista's mother's house in Corona.Batista reportedly went into a rage when he returned the son to Aria and saw the woman with another man. He stormed out of his mother's house with the boy, telling his sister he would be back in 10 minutes. He never returned.He was arrested hours later at the Crown Motor Inn at 74-01 Queens Blvd. Officers rushed to his room after Batista reportedly told a night desk clerk to call police because he had killed someone.Emergency responders were unable to revive the child and took the body to Elmhurst General Hospital for evaluation. Alexandra Aris was also taken to the hospital and treated for shock. Batista was charged with murder and placed under psychiatric observation.Reach reporter Matthew Monks by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
