HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A judge said he is inclined to start trial in mid-January 2024 for a couple facing charges related to the death of their 1-year-old son.
On Friday morning in the Superior Court of Guam, Judge Vernon Perez heard the case for Giltinan Ramangmou and Paul John Tuncap Cruz, who face charges related to the death of their 1-year-old son, who was found by police last month to have multiple severe head injuries.
The hearing was a continuation of a motion hearing last week where Perez discussed several issues that needed to be addressed before going to trial.
The first was a motion to interview a minor, who has been identified as a witness in the case, and Perez requested information on how it would go forward. The minor’s guardian ad litem, a family division attorney from the Office of the Attorney General and prosecutor Sean Brown were present to provide information.
Brown said in these types of interviews a Guam Police Department officer “trained in child interview techniques” would conduct the interview and interested parties such as defense attorneys would be present.
“That video testimony is the desired goal here,” Brown added.
In response, Perez said he was glad there was interest to accommodate, considering matters involving minors need to be handled with care.
“I’m glad there seems to be a great interest to accommodate, … if there would be an interview that it would be in a setting, an environment of, shall we say, something appropriate for a child of a tender age who may be able to provide some information,” Perez said.
Trial
Other matters discussed included a request by Ramangmou to undergo a polygraph test and also a request by both Ramangmou and Cruz to sever their cases with the goal of having separate trials.
Perez elected to have the polygraph test matter be discussed more during a hearing next week while he heard brief arguments Friday on the motion to sever the cases.
Following the arguments, which involved Brown saying he didn’t necessarily oppose the severance, Perez explained he was inclined to sever the cases, but will make his final decision within the next week.
Despite all the pending matters, Brown added that there were plans to have a red substance found at the scene, believed to be blood, tested, possibly by the FBI.
Perez admitted that FBI involvement might cause delay; however, he explained he was still looking at having trial begin in mid-January after all other matters are resolved.
Charges
Ramangmou’s charges stem from allegations she punched her 1-year-old son, who was later found by police to be pulseless, breathless and with multiple severe head injuries.
When met by the officers, Ramangmou allegedly was crying hysterically and yelling, “I should’ve taken him to the hospital. I’m so sorry, God!”
Ramangmou, according to court documents, told police the child was on the bed, but that he had fallen on his face. She said she treated the child by putting ice on his head.
Officers saw the boy had multiple severe head injuries and that rigor mortis and livor mortis had set in, which suggested several hours had passed before the authorities were contacted. The magistrate’s complaint stated that the Guam Police Department was contacted about three hours after Cruz told Ramangmou to call.
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jeffrey Nine also conducted an initial assessment of the child’s injuries and found them to be consistent with “battered baby syndrome,” adding that the boy had injuries similar to that of a “child involved in a vehicle collision at a high rate of speed,” the complaint said.
Giltinan Ramangmou
Paul John Tuncap Cruz
