SAN ANTONIO – Details have emerged about a suspected case of deadly child abuse that resulted in capital murder charges against the parents of the victim.
The case against Jonathan Miranda, 34, and his wife, Christina Miranda, 32, is spelled out in an arrest warrant affidavit.
The affidavit lists the couple’s 10-year-old son, Michael, as the victim in this case.
According to the affidavit, San Antonio police officers responded to the family’s home on Cielo Ranch on Sept. 24 and found Michael unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead.
During an autopsy, staff at the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office noted what police believe are signs of abuse, the document stated.
According to the affidavit, there was evidence of multiple injuries, including broken ribs in various stages of healing, trauma to both legs, a dislocated arm, bruises on his buttocks and body and a laceration to his intestines.
Michael also showed signs of starvation and malnutrition, the affidavit stated.
Additionally, police wrote that it appeared Michael had been confined to a laundry room for an extended period of time.
Investigators also talked to witnesses, who told them Michael was physically abused daily.
Officers found the boy dead after responding to a Sept. 24 call to the home on Cielo Ranch.
After investigating for approximately one week, Jonathan and Christina were arrested on Wednesday night.
“I just knew something really, really bad happened in the house, and the cops just kept saying, ‘Yeah, it’s not, it’s not good,’” said one neighbor, referring to the commotion she saw outside the home last week.
The neighbor, who did not want to reveal her identity, showed KSAT 12 News a video that she took with her cellphone of patrol cars racing to the area.
She said she then heard the sound of sobs filling the usually quiet street, which came from Christina.
“She was just inconsolable,” the neighbor told KSAT. “She was crying, was falling to the ground, couldn’t be held up.”
Later, the neighbor said her fears about something horrible happening at the home were confirmed.
She noticed first responders carrying out what appeared to be a body.
“The body bag was little, so the only thing I could’ve assumed was it was a baby, a child,” the neighbor said. “It was awful.”
Other neighbors declined to be interviewed but expressed sadness about the boy’s death.
One woman left a candle and silk flowers outside the family’s home.
According to neighbors, there were at least four other children who lived there. They were often seen playing outdoors.
However, some of the neighbors said they had never noticed Michael among those children.
There was no mention in the affidavit of any other children being harmed.
KSAT 12 News spoke with Joseph Hoelscher, the attorney for Christina and Jonathan, in a Thursday morning phone call. He indicated that he disagreed with several of the statements made in the affidavit.
Hoelscher provided KSAT with a statement, which can be read below.
“Everyone who knows the Miranda family is shocked by the arrest of Jonathan and Christina. Both parents fully cooperated with Child Protective Services after the death of their son, Michael. Michael suffered from a number of physical and mental health issues, because of extensive abuse before becoming a part of the Miranda family, but the family was blessed to have tremendous support in caring for him, including members of their faith community, doctors, and other professionals, all of whom know the Mirandas as loving and dedicated parents. The evidence cited by SAPD is inconsistent with the evidence disclosed during the CPS investigation and the experiences of the many people who knew Michael. SAPD interfered with the child welfare investigation by illegally seizing all of the family’s electronics, including the Miranda children’s tablets required for their schooling. SAPD’s violent arrest tactics, during a voluntary meeting with a special investor for CPS, endangered multiple children. Unlike CPS, SAPD concluded their investigation without reference to medical history records, videos, or witness statements but cited alleged facts which are demonstrably untrue. SAPD’s rushed investigation appears calculated to get headlines, not to protect any child. The Mirandas, however, are only concerned for their children at this time. On their behalf, I thank everyone who has stepped forward to support the Miranda children, show them love, and help them keep faith after losing their brother and the unnecessarily traumatic arrest of their parents. Justice will prevail.”
Joseph Hoelscher
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