Man accused of nearly drowning 3-year-old pleads not guilty to murder | News

John Paul Sayama Charfauros, who was charged last month with the murder of a 3-year-old boy, pleaded not guilty Thursday in the courtroom of Guam Superior Court Judge Jonathan Quan.

Charfauros, 27, of Dededo, was arrested by Guam Police Department officers on July 31 along with the child's mother, Jonarie Marie Reyes Cruz, on several charges. Cruz was also scheduled to appear in court, but her hearing was postponed until August 22.

Charfauros faces two counts of first-degree murder, second-degree aggravated assault and a special charge of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a serious crime.

He is being held at the Department of Corrections on $250,000 bail.

Cruz was charged with third-degree felony child abuse, misdemeanor destruction of evidence and misdemeanor witness tampering. Her hearing before a justice of the peace was scheduled for July 28, and she was being held at the Department of Corrections on Friday pending $3,000 bail.

According to charging documents, Charfauros decided to teach the boy, TC, how to swim at a family pool party on July 4 in Dededo. He reportedly told police he “went a little too far by teaching him to swim and frolic,” but denied hurting the boy.

Police reviewed 90 minutes of video footage that allegedly shows Charfauros submerging the boy's head under water for several seconds each time and also hitting the child several times.

The child was heard screaming when his head was above water and he was able to breathe, the complaint states.

The documents say Jonarie Cruz took her son to the hospital on July 4 and allegedly told staff that her son had slipped and fallen into the water for over a minute. Cruz also asked others to lie on her behalf, the lawsuit says.

At least half a cup of water was extracted from the boy's lungs, his mother said.

On July 6, doctors at Guam Memorial Hospital declared the boy brain dead, and on July 7, his parents took him off life support, the documents say.

Pacific Daily News reporter Jojo Santo Tomas covers all topics of interest, including sports. You can email him at [email protected].