A nine year-old boy named Emrik Osuna was born in Meridian, Idaho and he had all the interests of a nine year-old boy. He loved legos and transformers and all of his family members thought of him as a ray of sunshine. Emrik lived with his father Erik Osuna and his stepmother Monique Osuna as his mother was no longer in the picture. He had an abundance of extended family ready to aid in his upbringing, such as helping with babysitting. 

Emrik was found on September 1, 2020 by Meridian police.  After feeling a faint heartbeat, he was rushed to St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center. He was held in the pediatric intensive care unit for a whole day until the doctors pronounced him dead at 1:30am September 2, 2020. The abuse he went through had gone on for several months and the torture he sustained was hearbreaking. His injuries included bruising to the legs, back and buttocks. When the doctors examined him they detected blunt force injuries and severe bruising.  He was starved and was only allowed to eat rice while living in the closet of his father’s and stepmother’s house. 

Covid-19 had a huge impact on Emrik’s life and some could even argue it ended it. He was not in school at that time and with his stepmother working from home, she had access to him around the clock. There were no teachers to see the bruises or feed him and he was trapped at home with no escape. During the time they were home, Monique admitted that she kicked him and beat him with various weapons including: a frying pan, a belt, a wooden spoon, and a leesh. Erik Osuna knew that all of this was going on and did nothing to stop it; he may not be charged with murder but he didn’t do anything to stop his wife. 

Originally, only Monique had been charged with first-degree murder becuase she was the main person accused. Erik had only been charged with injury to a child and infliction of great bodily injury. However, after further investigation, Monique and Erik Osuna were both charged with first degree murder with malice and forethought; meaning that this crime was premeditated. This wasn’t just a fit of rage that led to a deadly accident. No, this was torture that went on for months and months. Both Monique and Erik received a preliminary hearing on December 9, 2020, but the details of this are yet to be released. If convicted, they could each be sentenced to life in prison or the death penalty. 

Make sure to watch out for the second part of the story containing their sentences, when records are finally released.