Elijah Archuleta
Denver, CO – Elijah Archuleta died last Friday night, a victim of child abuse, delayed medical attention, and a web of lies. He was two years old. Elijah’s stepfather, John Vigil, burned Elijah over 75% of his body on Friday morning. His mother, Isela Reyes-Talamantes, waited for hours before getting her son help – she ran errands, went to a drug-related court hearing with Vigil, and then sat at home while Vigil went to the taqueria with his buddies. By the time she got around to getting help for Elijah, it was too late. Elijah was dead before he got to the emergency room.
John Vigil and Isela Reyes-Talamantes
Isela Reyes-Talamantes had filed for divorce from her children’s father, Jim Archuleta, back in April. Archuleta said he wanted his high school sweetheart back, but Isela, 23, wasn’t having any. She’d already met 21-year-old thug John Vigil, who disliked Jim Archuleta – and, apparently, Jim’s toddler son. Isela also has a four year old daughter, Serenity, with Archuleta.
Last Friday, Vigil and the kids went to pick up Reyes-Talamantes at work at about 1:25 p.m. Elijah’s face and hands were very red, and he was dressed and in his carseat with a blanket over him. Isela noticed something wrong, but they had stuff to do, y’know? Vigil told her that the baby had been left in the bathtub alone while Vigil was outside the house, and somehow had turned the hot water on himself. You know, like kids do, just for fun and scalding.
Apparently Isela either didn’t notice her baby boy’s big black eye, or she wasn’t worried about it. She took Elijah and Serenity with her to attend Vigil’s court hearing that afternoon. Then they did some more errands, and this fine example of motherhood decided they ought to pick up some burn cream just in case. Now I don’t know whether she changed Elijah’s diaper at all during those first four or five hours, but you’d think so, right? So she had to know there was a bigger problem than an invisible black eye and a burned face and hands.   But maybe not.
Anyway, the scary little family goes home, and John Vigil decides he’s taking the car and going to the taqueria to hang out with his buds. Which he does. For several hours. During which time Isela Reyes-Talamantes does not call 911, does not call a friend for a ride, does not go outside and ask someone to get some help. Very probably, Elijah died while his mother was sitting around like a dumbass, coming up with a cover story for her penis.
After Vigil got home, there was apparently an argument. Little Serenity told investigators who talked with her that “John-John” had burned the baby, and then her mommy was crying because the baby was dead, and John-John was yelling. Probably at the baby for being stupid enough not to survive being burned over 75% of his body.
Finally, just before 11:00 p.m., Reyes-Talamantes dropped Serenity off at with her mother and took Elijah to the hospital, telling personnel that Vigil had accidentally scalded the boy at about 7:45 p.m. Which didn’t really fly, since Elijah was dead. The nurse who triaged them tried to give Elijah two rescue breaths, but stopped and called a code when he realized the baby was already cold. A code blue team worked on Elijah for a half hour, then called the code and the cops.
Isela Reyes-Talamantes lied to officers, trying to cover for Vigil. Investigators then went to get little Serenity – and she told them everything. How John-John got mad and hit Elijah, and burned him. How her mother didn’t get Elijah help all afternoon. How Vigil left the house and Isela still didn’t get help. How her brother died with nobody to help him, nobody to soothe his pain. Serenity Archuleta is my hero.
John Vigil and Isela Reyes-Talamantes are both facing murder charges in Denver and are currently being held without bond. Serenity Archuleta was in emergency custody for a few days, but by Tuesday was reunited with her father, Jim.   Funeral arrangements for baby Elijah are pending.
Tags: Burning, Child Abuse, Child Murder, Colorado, Denver, scalding
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