Mother, Boyfriend Sentenced In Morris Co. Toddler's Beating Death

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — On Thursday, a judge sentenced a former Morristown man and his girlfriend in connection with the beating death of a 3-year-old boy.

Edwin Urbina, 29, was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole and will spend the rest of his life in a maximum security prison, the most severe criminal punishment under New Jersey law, according to state Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor in Morris County.

Krystal Straw, 29, was sentenced to 18 years in prison with a five-year parole ineligibility for putting her children in danger and lying to police about what happened the night of his murder.

"These sentencings bring to a close this terrible and tragic crime. Justice has finally been done for little 3-year-old Liam," Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said.

Earlier this month, Urbina 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.

In January, a jury found Straw guilty of 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.

The two cases arise from an incident that occurred on Aug. 13, 2021, the police said.

The boy was inside the OYO Hotel in East Hanover, where the couple, the toddler, and Straw's then-5-year-old daughter were staying, according to prosecutors. Urbina fatally beat the child in front of the victim's sibling sometime in the early morning hours.

Police said that Urbina struck the boy several times on his arm, face and buttocks. According to records, the toddler died in the hotel room.

Straw, who was not present at the time of death, waited hours after her toddler died before taking him to Morristown Medical Center, where she lied to police about what had happened.

Morristown Medical Center staff even overheard Straw telling her 5-year-old daughter, "Do not tell anyone what happened," the night of her son's death, according to the affidavit for her arrest.

An investigation later revealed that the child had suffered a number of physical injuries prior to his death. Following an autopsy, Morris County Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Carlos Fonseca, M.D., determined the cause of death was a homicide.

Fonseca also noted pre-existing injuries to the boy's ribs and wrists that predated Aug. 13.

When law enforcement questioned Straw about the night her son died, she stated that she was alone with her son and daughter in the hotel, according to the affidavit. Her 5-year-old daughter, on the other hand, reported that she, the victim, and Urbina were alone in the hotel room while Straw was at work.

Following the death of the toddler, both Urbina and Straw engaged in conduct that hampered the state's investigation, such as removing Urbina and his personal belongings from the OYO Hotel, deleting cell phone content, and instructing the 5-year-old daughter not to speak about the incident.

Urbina was apprehended without incident on Aug. 17, 2021, outside the Morris County Records and Administration Building in Morristown. Straw had previously been charged and arrested in connection with this incident on Aug. 13, 2021.

Urbina and Straw remained in the Morris County Correctional Facility while their criminal cases were pending.