By: Yuritza Arroyo
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, and Chief of Detectives Robert McNally announce a jury has found Edwin Urbina, 29, formerly of Morristown, guilty on all charges related to the beating death of his girlfriend’s three-year-old son.
According to officials, the jury returned a guilty verdict on March 1, following a seven-day trial.
Officials say the defendant was found guilty of first-degree Murder with an Aggravating Factor, three counts of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, third-degree Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution, two counts of third-degree Tampering with a Witness, and fourth-degree Tampering with Evidence.
The sentencing has been scheduled on March 16.
According to authorities, the defendant will remain in custody until that time.
Authorities say on August 13, 2021, shortly after 5:00 a.m., officers from the Morristown Police Department responded to the Morristown Medical Center in Morristown on a report of a three-year-old boy in cardiac arrest.
A subsequent investigation revealed that the child had sustained a number of physical injuries.
According to officials, following an autopsy, Morris County Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Carlos Fonseca, M.D., determined the manner of death to be a homicide.
Officials say the investigation revealed that Urbina fatally beat the child in the early morning hours of August 13, 2021, resulting in the boy’s death, while at the OYO Hotel, 130 Rt. 10 West in East Hanover.
The investigation further revealed that the victim’s five-year-old sibling witnessed the murder. Further investigation revealed that the victim’s mother, Krystal Straw, 29, was not present during the assault but arrived at the hotel shortly after.
According to Police, following the victim’s death, both Urbina and Straw engaged in conduct to hinder the State’s investigation, including removing Urbina and his personal belongings from the OYO Hotel, deleting cell phone content, and informing the victim’s five-year-old sibling not to speak about the incident.
The investigation also revealed that Urbina had physically abused the victim on prior occasions.
Police say on August 17, 2021, Urbina was taken into custody without incident outside the Morris County Records and Administration Building in Morristown.
According to authorities, Straw was previously charged and arrested on August 13, 2021, in connection with this incident.
Both Urbina and Straw remained in the Morris County Correctional Facility during the pendency of their criminal cases. On January 12, Straw, 29, appeared before Judge Taylor and entered an open plea of guilty to two counts of second-degree Endangering Welfare of a Child, three counts of third-degree Hindering Apprehension, third-degree Tampering with a Witness, and fourth-degree Tampering with Physical Evidence.
Straw will remain in custody until her sentencing hearing, also scheduled on March 16, 2023.