Guilty Verdict In Jada's Death

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Aug 13, 2010 2:20PM

Yesterday a Lake County, Indiana jury found Engelica Castillo, 20, guilty of murder, two counts of neglect of a dependent, battery and false informing for the 2009 death of two-year-old Jada Justice. Castillo, Jada's cousin, babysat the girl for two weeks in June of 2009 while Jada's mother was out of town. When Jada went missing, Castillo originally told police that she had left the girl in the car while running an errand and Jada was gone when she returned. But Castillo's then-boyfriend Timothy Tkachik admitted the girl's death to police and led them to Jada's body, burned and encased in concrete. From the Tribune:

Tkachik testified that Castillo became irritated at Jada for dumping a package of drink mix and spilling a container of syrup. Tkachik said an angry Castillo repeatedly struck the child, according to prosecutors.

He admitted to striking the girl several times on the head and holding the toddler down while Castillo repeatedly struck her with a belt, according to the prosecutor's office. Tkachik said Jada stopped breathing while in a vehicle with him and Castillo, and they failed to get medical help for the child.

Tkachik earlier pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent and will be sentenced in September when he faces up to 50 years in prison. The jury that convicted Castillo will reconvene today to consider her sentence.