Aurora police responded to a report of an unconscious child at an apartment late on May 16, where first responders found a 4-year-old boy with significant injuries. The child was rushed to a nearby hospital but did not survive. Authorities have now charged the boy's mother and another adult with serious crimes in connection with his death.
Destini Rose Lipsky, 23, was arrested the following day and charged with child abuse resulting in death. Alexander Martinez-Armstrong, 24, was taken into custody at the scene and faces a first-degree murder charge. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Denver Post, Lipsky had given Martinez-Armstrong permission to discipline her son after the boy was accused of lying, sneaking into her purse, not listening, and occasionally stealing candy.
The affidavit describes how Lipsky viewed Martinez-Armstrong like a brother and allowed him to put the child through what she called a "boot camp." The boy was reportedly forced to practice writing numbers while being beaten on his bare skin with a belt. Martinez-Armstrong's girlfriend told police she heard the child's screams from the living room during the night.
Lipsky had also allegedly given permission for the boy to be whipped and spanked, in addition to being made to perform push-ups, planks, and wall-sits. These were punishments the mother had previously used on the child herself, the affidavit states. The boy was covered from head to toe in bruises at the time of his death, and investigators determined he had been struck at least 21 times with a belt on the day he died.
Martinez-Armstrong reportedly confessed to striking the child. Police were called around 10 p.m. after someone reported a young child who was unconscious and not breathing, according to an Aurora Police Department news release. The boy has not been publicly identified.
Neighbors and others in the apartment complex described the events as shocking, though no direct quotes from residents appear in the affidavit. The case has drawn attention to questions about how adults supervise and discipline young children in shared living situations.
Both suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues. Prosecutors are expected to present additional evidence in upcoming court hearings. Officials have not released further details about the child's medical condition or the exact sequence of events leading to his death.
The Aurora Police Department has asked anyone with information to contact investigators. The department's news release emphasized that the child suffered significant injuries before being found unresponsive.
According to the affidavit, the punishments escalated over time. Lipsky allegedly told investigators that she had previously tried to correct the boy's behavior herself but decided to involve Martinez-Armstrong for more intensive discipline. The girlfriend's account provided key details about the sounds she heard that night.
Child welfare advocates in Colorado have noted that cases involving multiple adults in a household can complicate investigations. No prior reports involving the family were mentioned in the available documents.
The next court appearances for Lipsky and Martinez-Armstrong are scheduled in the coming weeks. Both have been ordered held without bond pending further proceedings.