(Hampton, Iowa) – Officials with the Hampton Police Department report an arrest was made Sunday, following an investigation into the death in August, 2020, of a 23-month old boy. Authorities say Jhonny Junior Salvatore Suarez Rivera was arrested Sunday, Sept. 5th, 2021, and charged with 1st Degree Murder, as well as Child Endangerment Resulting in Death. He was being held in the Franklin County Jail.

Jhonny Junior Salvatore Suarez Rivera

On Saturday, Aug. 1st, 2020, at around 3:45-p.m., the child was taken by private vehicle to the Franklin General Hospital, in Hampton. Life-saving measures were taken, bu the child died a little over an hour later. An autopsy conducted August 3rd, 2020, determined the child’s cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Rivera was identified as a caretaker of the child and suspect in the death through an investigation conducted by the Hampton Police Department with assistance from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.