New Details in Torture Death of 2 Year Old Rene Torres 
On Thursday 08/19/09, Pasadena Police upped the ante on the couple being held on murder charges for the death of 2 year old Rene Torres. Following an investigation by Pasadena Police Department . Maria Pelaez, 29, mother of the victim and Gabriel Diaz, 31, her live-in boyfriend, are now being held on suspicion of murder and torture charges, after they admitted to Police during the course of the investigation and subsequent interviews, they had repeatedly restrained the toddler with tape over the last several months as a form of discipline. On occasion his mouth was also taped.
Source:http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/blog/police/index.php?s=Rene+Torres
Little Rene, who just turned 2 years old on August 3, 2009, was found dead in his crib on Tuesday morning August 17. His mother, Maria Pelaez called 911 after finding her baby unresponsive. CPR was attempted but was unsuccessful, Baby Rene was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics shortly after 6 AM.
Evidence indicated that Rene had died either late in the evening prior, or earlier that morning before he was discovered, according to a written statement from Pasadena police spokeswoman Janet Pope Givens. Investigators at the house believed the baby was bound with tape before being put into his crib, the night he died. Detectives searched the residence and located articles of clothing belonging to the victim which had been bound by tape.
Source: Pasadena Police Department News.
Pasadena police Cmdr. John Perez said in a statement; "Anytime a two year old child is found dead in their crib it is treated as a suspicious call. Maria Pelaez, 29 and Gabriel Diaz, 32 were charged with taping the feet, legs and arms of Rene Torres on the night of August 17, 2009. During the course of the night, the child died. Investigators believe the cause of death of to be asphyxiation. They are still investigating whether the baby's mouth was taped when he died. Police had not received any child abuse allegations against the couple in the past, Perez said.
The LA County Coroners office spokesman said the autopsy has been performed but they are waiting for further tests to be completed, before releasing their report.
The Public Defender representing Gabriel Diaz; Suzanne Vega, was at the Pasadena Court House on Thursday. She said "They have been charged with murder, torture and meth possession; in connection to the death of two year old baby Rene Torres." The arraignment was postponed until September 3, 2009. Prosecutors claim the couple tortured the baby between July 18 and Tuesday. Bail has been set at $2M for Pelaez and $2.3M for Diaz.
Perez said the nature of the case has been very difficult for the responding officers, paramedics and fireman to cope with, he went on to say it is difficult on the whole neighborhood. This is a tragic event," he said. "The whole thing is tragic and unusual."
Source Pasadena Police Department News
I don't know where Pasadena police Cmdr. John Perez has been living for the last year, that he can still call this tragedy unusual. Smothering babies seems to be the favored method of murder lately.
We have Caylee Anthony, 2 1/2 who disappeared from the home she shared with her mother and grandparents last June. For 31 days her momster partied like a rock star. When Caylee's grandparents finally caught up with her, she claimed Caylee had been kidnapped by a fantasy nanny known as Zany. Casey Anthony, 23 was charged with her murder last October after a Grand Jury determined there was sufficient evidence to go to trial.
Caylee's skeletal remains were discovered in December, 1/4 mile from the home. Layers of duct tape were still clinging across her mouth, OC Prosecutor's Office put the death penalty on the table. Anthony remains behind bars in Orlando, awaiting trial. She is being held without bond.
Source: CayleeAnthonyCase@ocfl.net
March 18, '09, in the Antelope Valley, 911 received a call of a missing child. Stacey Barker, 24, claimed she was attacked from behind. When she came to 5 hours later, baby Emma Barker, 18 mos was missing. After being checked and released from a local hospital, Stacey told several different accounts of her attack, to LASD. 12 hours after the original call, Barker lead Sheriff's Officers to the spot she dumped baby Emma's body, after she smothered her.
Pasadena LE has been much more forthcoming on events as they have unfolded than their Brother's in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department were in March, when 18 month old Emma Leigh Barker was found smothered and left along side a California freeway. Five weeks went by before her mother Stacey Barker (dubbed smother mother on Nancy Grace) was arrested and charged with her murder. Barker is currently awaiting trial, held on $1 Million bond.
LCoastMom, I think your story has potential but needs some improvement. Please use highlight when referencing information from outside sources and be sure to include your own original commentary. Review our FAQ or check out our J-Tips for more help.
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
LCoastMom
It shouldn't hurt to be a child.., So Cal/AZ, United States
Sign in to NowPublic
Truemors
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (20)
- reply
toria (not verified)at 22:18 on August 24th, 2009
This is such a sad story, as with Emma a child is taken at the hands of the mother....WHY are these monsters killing their children??? this makes me sick. Children and Meth don't mix if someone knows a Meth addict with children for god sake call the child abuse hotline!1-800-4-a child! LCMom glad to see ya here where are we all going to meet to discuss Emma and the trial now?
at 20:38 on August 25th, 2009
LCM,
I guess I read the second part of this story first....I was saying meth what meth on the other page??? LOL I get it now.
So were the parents found to be in possession of Meth when the original call went out to 911 or was this a subsequent arrest? That poor baby....Taped for punishment....WTF????Very good advice Toria!
at 07:14 on August 26th, 2009
So far only the PD for Diaz has mentioned the Meth. LE & DA never said a word. PD has only talked about the torture and murder.
Friends of the mom say she was never known to do drugs. She doesn't look like a tweaker.
- reply
KAT1220 (not verified)at 10:02 on August 28th, 2009
To LCoast Mom Friends of the mom also didnt know she was a fucken killer!
at 09:51 on August 31st, 2009
You got that right. I am so sorry for the pain this has given you and your family.
at 10:34 on September 2nd, 2009
This is horrible..Thanks LC MOM for keeping us updated on this...iam so sick of these psycopaths killing there innocent babies....My sis in law ( who I HATE ) can not have kids, she has tried in vetro, with no luck, they are in the process of adoption and may have a girl wi a few months, they have 4 more meetings with the child, before they can bring her home..ayway, she would not harm a child, and is unable to have her own naturally, while these sick bitches care more about a mon and sex and drugs than there own kid....
ok Iam about to post something that will sound really horrible, I dont know how to say it without sounding bad, so please dont be upset...but even that sick bastard who kidnapped and raped Jaycee, and fathered 2 kids with her did not kill her..Iam not saying that this bastard is better than stacey or this sweet boys mom, but damn these babies were the moms own flesh and blood...I know that bastard who kidnapped jaycee tortured her for 18 years, and I am disguiseted by that...I dont really know what Iam trying to say, Iam just rambling sorry....
I just get so upset and sick to my stomach when I hear about cases where the child was harmed at the hands of a parent...I have 3 kids and of course they make me mad, what parent does not get mad at there kid(s) bu I have a hard time spanking my kids, let alone knowingly causing them harm...just sick ...ok sorry for my rambling...like I said please dont be upset by what I said, Iam disguisted by the bastard for what he did to Jaycee....
at 15:55 on September 2nd, 2009
(((HUGS))) I hear you loud and clear and I can't wrap my head around this tragedy either. I think it is our kids job to make us nutty. If they came with a resume, making parent(s) nuts would be high on their list of skills. Close to that would be knowing what buttons to push. At the very top of the list would be a giver of unconditional love and forgiveness. Parents can do almost anything and their children will forgive them. All they ask in return is for their parents to love them back. Such a small request.
Someone who used to do meth told me it made her angry all the time, made things fuzzy, not seeming real.
She was not giving me an excuse just an explanation of what it might have been like for the mother. So even while she was doing it, she wasn't connecting to it. She also flat out said; "It is not excusable."
THAT POOR BABY.
Mother and bf are due back in court tomorrow. May they rot, for all eternity.
at 08:00 on September 3rd, 2009
Today is court date... most likely. another continuance...keep us posted on the East Coast.
at 08:16 on September 3rd, 2009
will do I've been waiting all week!!
at 09:08 on September 3rd, 2009
TY..when was Renee laid to rest? anyone know?
at 08:10 on September 10th, 2009
Still watching this case.... Some of US Remember
at 06:22 on September 25th, 2009
(O)-(O) Still watching!!
at 08:45 on October 5th, 2009
LCM,
I just saw that you put the wrong name for Gabriel in your story...
"The Public Defender representing Gabriel Torres; Suzanne Vega, was at the Pasadena Court House on Thursday. She said "They have been charged with murder, torture and meth possession; in connection to the death of two year old baby Rene Torres." The arraignment was postponed until September 3, 2009. Prosecutors claim the couple tortured the baby between July 18 and Tuesday. Bail has been set at $2M for Pelaez and $2.3M for Diaz."
That should be the PD for Gabriel Diaz right?
I think someone said on Topix that they send their Prayers to the Palaez and NUNEZ Families...do you think that Nunez is Rene's father and his family?
Has anything been said about him?
Crowfeather, the next court date for Gabriel is on 10/19/09...I will see what I can find out on that date.
The meth question, GD had Meth on him that night when he was arrested, there are a few people I KNOW that I would NEVER think would be caught up in Meth, My nephew's baby mama got caught up in that sh*t and did not even care about her daughter, my daughter use to babysit the child and the mother started leaving her over night and would not come until the middle of the next day with some stupid story...she also left her saying she was going to work (she worked nights at a fast food place that stayed open till 2am) yet one night the baby had a high fever and we called her work and they said she had been fired 2 weeks ago! we had no Idea she was on Meth, The mother was always crying to me how she did not want her daughter to grow up like her, living with her Grandmother because that is how the mother was raised, by Granny, her mom was a drug addict and criminal (she was not released until the girl was 22)and had her in Jail and had to give her up to the Grandmother right out of the prison hospital. This girl got mixed up with some bad guy (always the story) and began to do meth, she had no thought of her baby, she left her with people she hardly knew, she allowed gang members into her apt, she was arrested for robbery and sent to jail, we knew none of this was even going on because the childs Great Grandma was keeping it from us..she always said her granddaughter was at the store or at a friends house until one day we passed the court and the child said that is where my mom is living for awhile......we looked her up on the LE website and sure enough she was in Jail! when monday came we went with my nephew and asked for Legal custody of her! he was granted Temp custody that day as her mom was due in court so she was there for the judge to give the petition for custody...the GGrandmother called and asked my sister when she was bringing the child back? my sister said NEVER she is now in our custody, you should have told us what happened and let us make the choice of where she should stay...oh man that lady was pis*ed off she started all kinds of crap at court and the bailiff kicked her 80 year old butt out of court, all the time she was telling the child's father it was her kid and how the baby did not love him and he was a POS...she was screaming in the court hallways that he had kidnapped her baby...wow...to this day my nephew still has his daughter, that was 4 years ago, the mother still does Meth with the gang bangers and could care less about seeing her daughter. she must be off of it for now because the little girl came over last week and said mom is pregnant, I swear these bitches have kids and don't even think twice about what is going to happen to the kid once they start the Meth again...Trust me I will be calling CPS every day once that child is born! the point of this story is that just because you think someone does not do drugs, they might have started! Maria's sister Fatima even said that Maria had changed once she got with Gabriel. Meth at work on yet another young Family!
Sorry this was so long and drawn out.....T
at 08:50 on October 5th, 2009
Also Maria's court date is the same date
at 09:08 on October 5th, 2009
there will be a continuance, with a," not guilty plea".... I 'll be watchin
at 09:16 on October 5th, 2009
Where's poor little Renee laid to rest?? someone tell us..............
at 09:44 on October 5th, 2009
Thanks for catching that oops on Diaz. I'm assuming the dads family is Torres. But I saw that comment, maybe a second marriage (or the 1st) in the Pelaez family? I never saw anything about Maria's dad, but I saw a picture (unlabeled) in her MS with her posing with a man who if you put him in a dress and her long hair it would have been her (older) twin. The picture of Maria in court looks NOTHING like she did even at Christmas time. I wish there was something that worked on everyone for this crap.
Wow that is another horrible story. I'm glad the baby had a GGrama who cared but your sis was right! It was the dad's decision.
Out of the mouth of babes. "That's where my mommy lives! It's that great big house surrounded by barbed wire (to keep the bad people out!!) She is so busy at her new house, we only get to see her from 1 to 3 on Sunday.... She's going to have a baby, but it is going to live with some other people when it comes out of her tummy. They don't let babies live at her house, or even big kids like me. She misses me everyday, she told me..."
Tears for these babies...
I worked in OB for 5 years (I was going to be a CNM) but the hours don't work well for a single mom with 3 kids. Anyway we got girls with track marks, who had been in OB care the whole 9 months with no one noticing til they got to the hospital. I actually think this one doctor knew but didn't turn them in. He was just glad they were coming to their appt's. He knew once they got to us, they would be busted. The cops would come in and put them under arrest right there, in their hospital bed.
You have no idea the contempt I had for these women for what they did to their babies. You can only keep your mouth shut and do your job. The pain those poor babies went thru.
at 12:54 on October 5th, 2009
I don't understand why these women who become drug addicts fight to keep their children when they know they cannot provide for them. I knew of a girl who smoked crack thru her entire pregnancy and had her child taken away at birth.
I think if a mother tests positive for meth, or any other drug, the child should be taken away. I know some people are really trying to clean up their acts but crap, get cleaned up first before you fight for your kids. I just don't get it.
at 07:54 on October 6th, 2009
That is the way it worked in CA. A nurse would make the call, the cops would show up let her know she was under arrest for child indangerment or abuse or whatever. They would not even let her say good bye.
My daughter's BFF had a baby in July, this girl has been raising her sister's first baby after she lost custody due to drugs. The sister come home from rehab with a new boyfriend and a baby in the oven. When she went into the hospital to have the baby she tested positive for pot, which of course was from the poppy seed bagels she ate for breakfast. If you could see me now you would see my eyes rolling around in my head!!
Two weeks later CPS did a surprise home visit and drug test, she was +++ for COKE. Thankfully the ho had her tubes tied after the birth. Her parents are now legal guardians to both boys and my daughters friend is back to raising the boys along with her new baby. The 2 1/2 yr old will be adopted by them, the new one will be some sort of joint custody with paternal GParents. What a great way to start life....
at 06:41 on October 6th, 2009
LCoastMom and and the ppl that keep me informed on this case, I Thank you all.. This case really disturbs me. All of you, have been the greatest bunch on internet sleuths. Please keep me in the loop... Dano