Alan Michael Romero, 1

Alan Michael Romero, a 1-year-old white baby, died Monday, Oct. 3, after he was struck in the head in the 18400 block of Hurley Street in the South San Jose Hills area of the San Gabriel Valley, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Romero’s mother, a 21-year-old white woman, took him to a hospital on Sept. 30 because he was “acting weird,” according a coroner’s records. 

The toddler had multiple bruises on his body, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Marcelo Quintero, but doctors determined that his immediate problem was a brain injury. The boy was pronounced dead at 1:19 p.m. on Oct. 3. Coroner's records say the cause of death was abusive head trauma. 

Investigators arrested the mother’s boyfriend, Karim Ricardo Ibarra, a 21-year-old Latino, on Oct. 1. 

Ibarra was charged with murder and assault on a child causing death on Oct. 4. His arraignment has been set for Dec. 13 in the Pomona Courthouse, according to Los Angeles County district attorney spokesman Ricardo Santiago. Ibarra is being held on $2 million bail. 

Quintero said Ibarra and the boy’s mother had been living together for about seven months. Investigators believe the boy was beaten and tortured for about four months before he died, Quintero said. “I can’t talk about the details right now,” he said, “but this one felt like a kick in the stomach to all of us" investigators.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.  

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.