Couple charged in 3-year-old's death will have separate trials

A couple facing charges related to the drowning death of a 3-year-old boy will have separate trials.

On Tuesday in the Superior Court of Guam, Presiding Judge Alberto Lamorena III announced he would be granting a motion by Jonarie Cruz, who sought to have a separate trial from her boyfriend and co-defendant, John Charfauros.

Cruz and Charfauros face charges related to the death of Cruz's 3-year-old son, who allegedly was drowned by Charfauros in early July.

Charfauros faces charges of murder and aggravated assault after authorities obtained surveillance footage which showed Charfauros holding the child underwater. Cruz was charged with child abuse after allegedly lying to hospital staff, telling them her son slipped and fell in the water, asking others to lie for her and deleting all messages she had with Charfauros.

In light of the severed cases, Lamorena said Charfauros is scheduled to go to trial on Aug. 18, 2025. Cruz's trial date now needs to be scheduled.

Charfauros and Cruz were charged after a concerned off-island family member called the Guam Police Department to report her nephew's "suspicious" death.

According to a magistrate's complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam, GPD subsequently launched an investigation and learned that the child, Cruz's 3-year-old son, was brought to Guam Regional Medical City by Cruz on July 4 before being taken to Guam Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on July 7.

Police then learned the child was with Cruz and Charfauros at the pool of the Villa Rosario Condominiums in Dededo with other family members on July 4. Surveillance footage viewed by investigators showed that Charfauros was repeatedly dunking and punching the child in the pool. Footage additionally showed Charfauros dropping the child on the concrete deck near the pool, charging documents state.

Near the end of the footage, Charfauros is seen leaving the pool with the child, who struggled to walk. However, the 3-year-old was not taken to GRMC until more than an hour after leaving the pool.

According to court documents, Cruz informed GRMC staff her son had slipped, fell in the water and remained in the pool for over a minute. She allegedly admitted to lying to hospital staff, asking others to lie for her, and also deleting all the messages she had with Charfauros.

In Charfauros' interview with police, he allegedly stated he "may have went a bit far as far as teaching (the 3-year-old) to swim and horseplay," but denied hurting the boy, the complaint said.