A 3-year-old boy was beaten to death at an East Hanover hotel last week with a slipper, the boy’s sister told investigators.
Their mother then spent two hours removing boxes and bags from the hotel to cover up, and drove the accused killer, her boyfriend Edwin A. Urbina, to a Morristown residence before taking the children to Morristown Medical Center in a “feigned attempt” to seek medical treatment for the boy.
That’s according to Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Tara Wang, who on Wednesday convinced Superior Court Judge Thomas Critchley Jr. to keep the mother, Krystal Straw, in the Morris County Jail.
Straw, 28, wept throughout the hour-long virtual detention hearing, as Wang recounted details gleaned from Straw’s 5-year-old daughter, identified as “YY.”
The mother — described by Wang as a “transient” who has been living in her car, New York shelters and the Oyo Hotel on Route 10– is charged with endangering the welfare of her children, obstructing an investigation and tampering with evidence.
“I’m sorry about your trouble, young lady. But what’s done is done, and will have to be dealt with,” the judge told Straw.
‘NURSES THINK FOUL PLAY’
About an hour earlier, Urbina, 27, made a brief virtual appearance before municipal Judge Ira Cohen. A public defender entered a not guilty plea as Urbina, who gave his address as Clyde Potts Drive in Morristown, listened quietly via a video hookup.
He is charged with murder, endangering the welfare of children, and tampering with a witness and with evidence. His detention hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Straw met Urbina prior to his incarceration for another crime, and they resumed their relationship when he was released from prison in December 2020, said Straw’s lawyer, Public Defender Wayne Morse.
Straw’s daughter told authorities they lived at the hotel with their “their father,” and that he hit her brother with a slipper on the buttocks, face, neck and arms on Friday, Morse said.
The little girl also said these “pow-pows” had happened before, according to Morse.
Wang said “substantial bruising” was found on the victim’s body by the medical examiner, who has deemed the death a homicide.
At the hospital, staff overheard Straw tell her daughter “don’t tell anyone what happened,” the prosecutor said.
Straw allegedly texted to Urbina: “Nurses think foul play” and “I told them I slipped on water…and tried to do what I could.”
At Urbina’s direction, Straw deleted the texts and Urbina’s contact information from her phone, Wang said.
Straw denied living with a man at the hotel, Wang said, and told investigators she attempted CPR after being awakened in the middle of the night by sounds of her son not breathing properly.
The victim, identified as “XX,” had a history of respiratory problems requiring use of a nebulizer, according to Morse.
Arguing for Straw’s release, Morse said she has no record of crimes or substance abuse, nor was she present when the alleged murder occurred. She works night shifts at a QuickChek to “put food on the table” for her children, he said.
Morse asserted his defense was hamstrung because police and the medical examiner had not provided reports.
The medical examiner’s final report may be weeks away, countered Wang, who called Straw’s actions “extremely disturbing, callous, calculated and dangerous.”
Judge Critchley, a former prosecutor, said the investigation is early, and reports take time.
While stating he did not consider Straw a danger to the community, he expressed concerns about the risk of flight, citing her lack of roots. Straw told investigators her only family is a sister across the country, Wang said.
Noting the obstruction charges, Critchley also voiced concerns that Straw could try to influence her daughter’s testimony if released. The girl is in the custody of a relative, the judge said.
Oh, dear God, that poor little girl.