Prosecutors say a man repeatedly struck a 9-year-old girl across her body and poured half a bottle of hot sauce down her mouth, leaving her bleeding and vomiting in Mundelein.
Christian G. Perez-Cornejo, 30, of Mundelein, was charged with aggravated battery to a child, aggravated battery to a peace officer, two counts of domestic battery and resisting a peace officer.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said a girl in her early teenage years reported to her school counselor on October 23 that her sister was being abused.
The teenager said her 9-year-old sister was beaten by Perez-Cornejo the prior night.
McConnell said the teenager reported Perez-Cornejo yelled at the younger sister, pulled her hair and struck her before pouring hot sauce down her mouth.
The Mundelein Police Department responded to the victim’s school and spoke with her.
Investigators observed marks on the shoulders, back and arms of the child.
The mother of the children told all of them not to tell anyone what happened, McConnell said.
The family’s children were taken to the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center for a forensic interview.
The victim said Perez-Cornejo got mad at her because she was being bad at school, McConnell said.
McConnell said Perez-Cornejo slapped the girl in the mouth, pulled her to the ground by her hair and dragged her to the kitchen.
Perez-Cornejo poured half a bottle of hot sauce into her mouth, McConnell said.
She tried to cover her mouth but Perez-Cornejo began repeatedly hitting her on the back, arm and head, according to McConnell.
McConnell said the 9-year-old girl went to the bathroom and threw up multiple times. She was also bleeding from her nose and mouth.
Perez-Cornejo went into the bathroom and yelled at the child to stop throwing up, McConnell said.
The mother left with the other children to go to therapy but the 9-year-old child was not allowed to go because Perez-Cornejo did not want her to tell the therapist what occurred, McConnell said.
The victim told investigators she does not feel safe at home and complained of pain.
The older sister corroborated the victim’s account of the incident.
While the children were being interviewed at the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center, Perez-Cornejo showed up at the victim’s school in Mundelein and began banging on the locked doors, McConnell said.
He was accompanied by the mother and one of their other younger children.
Officers arrived and informed Perez-Cornejo that the young child who was with them was being taken into protective custody.
McConnell said Perez-Cornejo began refusing to comply with orders to turn over the child. He chest-bumped one of the officers and got into his vehicle, McConnell said.
Multiple officers were called to the scene to arrest Perez-Cornejo.
Perez-Cornejo was interviewed and said the juvenile victim got in trouble in school and he threatened to beat her “like he got beat as a kid” and that he only put one drop of hot sauce in her mouth, McConnell said.
Perez-Cornejo, who is a documented gang member, also admitted to striking the child on her back.
He has a criminal history of charges including aggravated battery, aggravated battery of a peace officer, resisting an officer causing injury, driving under the influence and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Perez-Cornejo pending trial and a petition to revoke his pre-trial release in a pending case.
Lake County Judge Ari Fisz granted both petitions and noted that Perez-Cornejo has a history of ignoring court orders.
Fisz called the allegations against the juvenile victim “very disturbing” and that he poses a threat to the children.
Perez-Cornejo is scheduled to appear in court again on November 21.