Connecticut Parents Sentenced After Pleading Guilty in Death of 2-Year-Old Found Wrapped in Plastic and Buried in Shallow Park Grave
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT — A Connecticut mother and father have pleaded guilty to multiple charges connected to the death of their 2-year-old son, whose body was found wrapped in plastic bags and buried in a shallow grave at Cummings Park nearly three years ago. Iris Rivera-Santos and Edgar Ismalej-Gomez each accepted plea agreements requiring them to serve 16 years in state prison, according to court records.
The pleas were entered Tuesday in Fairfield County Superior Court, where both parents admitted guilt to charges including intentional cruelty to a child, risk of injury, tampering with evidence, conspiracy, and moving a dead body without a permit.
Parents Did Not Admit to Killing the Child Despite Autopsy Findings
Notably, neither parent admitted to causing the death of 2-year-old Liam Rivera, though the medical examiner determined his cause of death was “multiple blunt force traumas to the head.”
Following the hearing, Ismalej-Gomez’s attorney said his client continues to maintain innocence regarding the killing itself.
“Edgar adamantly maintains that he had nothing to do with the child’s death,” his lawyer told News 12. “He made some horrible choices, and for that, he has accepted responsibility.”
Rivera-Santos declined to comment after the plea.
Toddler Found Buried in Cummings Park After False Kidnapping Report
As previously reported, the investigation began on Jan. 2, 2023, when police received a report suggesting Liam had been kidnapped. Officers soon received additional information pointing them to Cummings Park, located about 40 miles northeast of Manhattan.
At the park, investigators discovered an area of freshly disturbed dirt. Officers unearthed a plastic bag containing the child’s body, Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw said at the time.
Ismalej-Gomez was arrested within 24 hours. Rivera-Santos was taken into custody about a month later.
Mother Claimed She Was Held Hostage — A Story Police Say Was Fabricated
Rivera-Santos initially told investigators she had been held hostage at gunpoint by Ismalej-Gomez after discovering her son dead, claiming he forced her to travel with him to West Virginia for days until she escaped.
However, investigators uncovered deleted text messages contradicting her story, calling the alleged kidnapping a fabrication.
Sentencing Hearing Set for February 2026
Both defendants are scheduled to return to court on Feb. 10, 2026, for a formal sentencing hearing, though the 16-year prison terms are already set as part of their plea agreements.
Authorities have not released additional details about the child’s life prior to his death or any ongoing investigations surrounding the circumstances of the fatal injuries.
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