Grand Jury Indicts Samuel Maldonado Erazo in 3-Year-Old Orlin Reyes Killing
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 16
Grand Jury Indicts Samuel Maldonado Erazo in 3-Year-Old Orlin Reyes Killing
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 16
March 26 brought a state grand jury indictment charging Samuel Maldonado Erazo with first-degree felony murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of 3-year-old Orlin Hernandez Reyes.
An autopsy said Orlin died from multiple blunt force traumas, with broken bones, burns and bruised hands that investigators said showed he tried to shield himself from repeated beatings.
The case unfolded after ICE detained Orlin’s mother, Wendy Hernandez Reyes, and deported her to Honduras on Jan. 26 without her son, leaving the child in relatives’ care.
ICE later accused Hernandez of abandoning Orlin, but court records and her account say she repeatedly asked to take her U.S.-citizen son with her and got no response.
The killing has become a flashpoint in criticism of Trump-era deportation practices and expanded 287(g) local enforcement, which advocates say leave children of detained parents with few safeguards.
After a parent's deportation, who is legally responsible for the safety of their American child?
What legal plans can immigrant parents make to protect their children from being left in unsafe hands?
The Death of Orlin Josué Hernandez Reyes: How Family Separation and Immigration Policy Failed a 3-Year-Old Child
Overview
The report details the tragic case of Orlin Josué Hernandez Reyes, who died from severe abuse after being left in the care of Samuel Maldonado Erazo following his mother's deportation. Authorities allege that Erazo repeatedly struck Orlin, stomped on his body, and burned him, with evidence showing Orlin tried to defend himself. The coroner confirmed his death was caused by multiple blunt force traumas. This case highlights how family separation due to immigration enforcement can leave children vulnerable, sparking community efforts for justice and calls for policy reforms to better protect children in similar situations.