OKC Teen Faces Murder Charge In 9-Month-Old Sister's Death

Dana Hertneky, Lashauna Sewell and Deanne Stein, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY – A 13-year-old boy has admitted to shaking his 9-month-old sister, according to court documents. He now faces a first degree murder charge in her death.

Crystian Rivera is in the Oklahoma County Jail, arrested on one count of first-degree murder in the death of his sister. He's being held without bond and being treated as an adult in this case.

According to a police affidavit, Rivera told police he was playing a video game and was distracted when his baby sister, 9-month-old Linda Beletzuy, fell and started to cry. Rivera told police he then became frustrated when his man died in the game. The document stated the 13-year-old admitted he shook his sister, went back to playing his game and then fell asleep.

On Tuesday, August 16, police were called to Deaconess Hospital to investigate a suspected case of child abuse. Doctors told officers the 9-month-old had serious injuries that did not match the explanation the girl's parents had given. The child had a severe brain injury and skull fracture.

"When we initially got there and spoke with the parents from the beginning their stories didn't add up, so we knew something wasn't right," said Sgt. Jennifer Wardlow with the Oklahoma City Police Department.

According to the original police report, Linda Walleska Beletzuy, the 30-year-old mother of both the 9 month old and Rivera, told officers her daughter had fallen off her bed that day. She said the baby had also fallen out of her car seat and to the car's floorboard a few days earlier. Beletzuy told police she was not present during either of these instances.

During the investigation, police learned the child had been left in the care of Rivera, her older brother, and that's when she'd sustained her injuries.

Investigators learned that baby Linda died from her injuries Friday, August 19. That's when police moved Rivera from the Berry House and booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on one count of 1st degree murder.