COURT HOUSE– Damian Garcia Rodriguez, 33, of Wildwood pleaded guilty on Thursday, April 29 to first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the April 23, 2009 death of 2-year-old Caden Rivera, the Press of Atlantic City reports.
According to the report Rodriguez admitted that he caused the death of Caden by dropping him. An autopsy determined Caden, who had cerebral palsy, died from blunt-force trauma to his abdomen.
Caden’s mother, Jennifer Bowen, sobbed quietly during the plea hearing, tears rolling down her cheeks.
She wore a red T-shirt that had Caden’s smiling face on it and the words “Mommy’s Lil Angel” below, the report said.
Garcia Rodriguez will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. June 25.
