REMEMBERING JASON
Jason D'Anthony Ramirez was just four years old when his life was taken on October 2, 2014, in Lakewood, Colorado.
Jason was a little boy who depended on the adults in his life for love, safety, and protection. Instead, he suffered severe physical abuse at the hands of his mother's boyfriend, Ever Alexander Lopez-Calidonio.
His death revealed evidence of earlier injuries, and a later criminal investigation established that Jason had been fatally beaten while his mother was away at work.
Jason's Story
On the morning of October 2, 2014, Jason was at home with his mother's boyfriend, Ever Alexander Lopez-Calidonio, at an apartment complex in Lakewood, Colorado.
Jason's mother, Angelica Reyes, had left for work, leaving her son in Lopez-Calidonio's care.
According to prosecutors, Lopez-Calidonio became angry after Jason soiled himself while he was running late for work.
He began striking Jason repeatedly in the abdomen.
The blows caused catastrophic internal injuries.
Later that morning, Jason was found lying on the pavement in the apartment complex parking lot.
Police received two separate emergency calls. One came from Lopez-Calidonio, who reported that Jason was unconscious and not breathing. Another came from a neighbor who had witnessed Lopez-Calidonio striking the little boy.
Lopez-Calidonio initially told investigators that Jason had appeared tired, collapsed, and stopped breathing.
He claimed that he had been attempting to revive the child.
His account changed during questioning. At different points, he denied striking Jason and described an alleged fall from a bed.
However, the medical evidence told a different story.
Jason was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy revealed extensive injuries caused by blunt force trauma.
Jason had suffered severe damage to his liver, including a major tear, along with bleeding involving his kidneys, pancreas, and intestines.
Investigators also documented injuries to his head and evidence of broken bones.
The severity of the injuries was inconsistent with the accidental explanations Lopez-Calidonio had provided.
Detectives also discovered evidence suggesting that Jason had been physically abused before the fatal assault.
According to the original investigation, another family member reported having observed earlier injuries and had taken photographs documenting concerns dating back to August 2014.
Jason's mother initially told investigators that her son had appeared healthy the previous evening and denied that her boyfriend had abused him.
She later acknowledged that Jason had previously been injured after being physically punished by Lopez-Calidonio.
The evidence established that Jason's death was not an unexplained collapse or an ordinary childhood accident.
He had suffered a violent assault while in the care of an adult responsible for protecting him.
Jason was only four years old.
Warning Signs and System Failures
The investigation into Jason's death uncovered evidence of physical abuse that had occurred before October 2, 2014.
A family member reportedly described earlier injuries and photographs taken weeks before Jason died.
Jason's mother also acknowledged that her boyfriend had previously injured him while administering physical punishment.
These accounts raised serious concerns about whether Jason's earlier injuries had been recognized as warning signs of abuse.
Neighbors also described concerns about the household after learning of his death.
The available reporting does not establish that child protective services had received specific prior reports concerning Jason or that an agency knowingly disregarded documented warnings.
However, the evidence of earlier injuries demonstrated that Jason had experienced physical harm before the assault that ended his life.
At four years old, Jason could not protect himself from the adults around him.
He needed those responsible for his care to recognize the danger and keep him safe.
That protection did not come in time.
JUSTICE FOR JASON
Following Jason's death, Lakewood police arrested Ever Alexander Lopez-Calidonio.
He was charged with child abuse resulting in death.
Investigators determined that Jason had suffered severe internal injuries caused by repeated blows to his abdomen.
During the criminal proceedings, Lopez-Calidonio admitted that he had beaten Jason after becoming angry because the child had soiled himself.
On March 31, 2017, Lopez-Calidonio pleaded guilty to child abuse resulting in death.
His guilty plea carried a sentencing range of 36 to 48 years in prison.
On May 22, 2017, a Jefferson County judge sentenced him to 48 years in prison.
The judge described the case as among the most violent child deaths she had encountered.
The sentence reflected the severity of the abuse that ended Jason's life.
Ever Alexander Lopez-Calidonio
Relationship to Jason: Mother's boyfriend
Conviction(s): Child abuse resulting in death
Sentence: 48 years in prison
FOREVER REMEMBERED
Jason D'Anthony Ramirez was only four years old.
He should have been playing, learning, laughing, and enjoying the experiences that make childhood special.
He should have celebrated his fifth birthday.
There should have been school pictures, friendships, family celebrations, and countless milestones still ahead of him.
Instead, Jason's life ended after a violent assault inside the home where he should have felt safe.
The investigation revealed that he had suffered earlier injuries, making the circumstances of his death even more heartbreaking.
Jason deserved to be protected long before the final assault.
He deserved patience, kindness, and gentle care.
He deserved adults who would comfort him when he was frightened or upset, not respond with violence.
But Jason's life was more than the circumstances of his death.
He was a little boy with a name, a family, and a future that should have stretched far beyond four years.
He deserved the opportunity to grow up, discover his interests, make memories, and become the person he was meant to be.
His story reminds us how dangerous physical punishment can become when anger and violence replace care and protection.
Jason did nothing to deserve what happened to him.
He deserved safety.
He deserved love.
He deserved a childhood.
And he deserves to be remembered.
Abuse Angels remembers Jason D'Anthony Ramirez.
Remembered. Honored. Never Forgotten.
