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Court records: Mother admitted killing infant

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By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer Updated 3:11 PM Wednesday, August 26, 2009

HAMILTON — A Hamilton mother accused of killing her 5-week-old son and putting the body a garbage can behind her Shuler Avenue home admitted to grabbing the infant by the face and shaking him, according to court records.

Asuncion “Suzie” Avila-Villa, 25, was charged Tuesday, Aug. 25, with murder, tampering with evidence, gross abuse of a corpse, and child endangering for the death of Israel Santos.

According to an affidavit released Wednesday seeking a warrant to search the Shuler residence, “Eventually, Asuncion admitted that the baby was in a bouncy seat in the bedroom of 1341 Shuler Apt. 3 crying for an extended period of time and she became upset and grabbed him by the face with both hands and shook him. After she shook him he became quiet and then quit breathing.”

Butler County Common Pleas Domestic Relations Judge Eva Kessler signed the warrant giving detectives permission to search Avila-Villa’s residence on the second floor. They took a vase with artificial flowers from a bedroom and a bouncy seat from the hall closet as evidence.

Earlier Wednesday, a $1 million bond was set for Avila-Villa, 25. Hamilton Municipal Court Judge Dan Gattermeyer set a preliminary hearing date for 8 a.m., Sept. 2. She is housed in the Butler County.

At about 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, Avila-Villa reported to police that her baby had been taken away by a former boyfriend the previous night and he had not returned.

Avila-Villa said Eric Estrena was the father of the infant and had picked him up at 9 p.m. on Sunday and not returned.

But Hamilton detectives found Israel dead at about 3:45 a.m. Aug. 25 in a plastic bag thrown in an ally trash can.

According to an autopsy, the baby died of a crushed skull before being placed in the bag, said Butler County Coroner Dr. Richard Burkhardt.

The baby also had a broken arm and low body weight for a child his age, Burkhardt said.

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