FORT WAYNE, Ind. – In a tragic case that has shaken the community, an Evansville teenager has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for the brutal murder of 4-year-old Octavia Aquino.
Christian T. Gonzalez, 16, was found guilty of murder following a four-day trial in January. The sentencing was delivered on Friday, bringing a somber sense of justice for the grieving family.
The heartbreaking incident occurred in June 2024 when Aquino was found unresponsive in an Evansville apartment under the care of her mother, 23-year-old Destiny Rhoades, and Gonzalez. Authorities arrested Gonzalez on June 14, initially charging him with battery resulting in serious bodily injury. However, after Aquino succumbed to her injuries two days later, the charge was upgraded to murder. The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office confirmed her death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
Rhoades was also arrested and faces multiple charges, including neglect of a dependent resulting in death and delinquency of a minor in connection with the murder. She is set to go on trial in March.
During sentencing, Aquino’s grandmother, Linda Alvarez, delivered an emotional victim impact statement, expressing the unbearable grief the family endures daily. In her heartfelt words, she described the immense loss and pain, painting a picture of a joyful child whose life was cut short far too soon.
“You stole the life of an innocent child, my precious granddaughter Octavia,” Alvarez said. “Because of you, we are left with only memories, pictures, and heartbreak.”
This devastating case serves as a grim reminder of the horrors of child abuse and the irreversible pain it leaves behind. As the community mourns, Aquino’s family is left grappling with an unimaginable void—one no sentence can ever truly fill.
