An Evansville teenager has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for the tragic murder of a 4-year-old Fort Wayne girl. The sentencing took place on Friday, closing a heartbreaking case that has shaken two Indiana communities.
The 16-year-old, Christian Gonzalez, was found guilty of murder in January after a four-day trial. The victim, Octavia Aquino, was just four years old when she died in June 2024. According to the Evansville Police Department, Gonzalez was arrested on June 14, 2024, after Octavia was discovered unresponsive in an Evansville apartment. At the time, she was in the care of Gonzalez and his girlfriend, 23-year-old Destiny Rhoades, who is also Octavia’s mother.
Originally, Gonzalez faced a charge of battery resulting in serious bodily injury. However, the charge was upgraded to murder after Octavia passed away on June 16, 2024, from blunt force trauma to her head and neck, as confirmed by the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office.
Rhoades was also arrested on June 14 and faces multiple charges, including neglect of a dependent resulting in death, contributing to the delinquency of a minor where the offense committed was murder, and invasion of privacy. Her trial is scheduled for March.
During the sentencing, Octavia’s grandmother, Linda Alvarez, delivered an emotional victim impact statement, expressing the pain and loss the family continues to endure. This case has left a deep scar on the community, with many hoping for justice and healing in the wake of this unimaginable tragedy.
