TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Common table salt was the poison that a mother used to kill her four year old boy.
That charge by Tucson Police is part of the new detail we are learning in the death of Ezekiel Castro. Police say his mother gave him large doses of salt while he was being treated at Diamond Children’s Hospital.
The indictment against Ashley Christina Castro says she poisoned her son with sodium. Other documents are more specific. They say she killed her son with table salt.
The indictment against Ashley Christina Castro says she poisoned her son with sodium. Other documents are more specific. They say she killed her son with table salt.
Ezekiel Castro had a heart condition. When he checked into Diamond Children's hospital his condition kept going up and down, with odd spikes in his sodium levels.
Hospital workers became suspicious and called in police.
Police say Ashley Castro admitted she gave her son a salt and water mixture she said she carried to use as a mouthwash. She told police he'd had about eight ounces before she realized what she had done---but never told hospital workers.
She was arrested for child abuse
In her purse police say they found a large container of salt, feeding tubes with a crystal residue, salt packets, and rubber gloves with salt residue.
The report says the salt drove the boy into critical condition, with several hemorrhages and a stroke.
A few days after the child abuse arrest, Ashley Castro and the child father decided to stop medical treatment. That's when Ezekiel Castro died, and police charged his mother with murde
Because of Ezekiel's heart problem, the family joined the group, Mended Little Hearts. The group helps support families who have kids with hear defects.
Sara Rhoads and Elizabeth Berry are co-coordinators of Mended Little hearts, they say Ashley Castro and her son joined the group right after he was born four years ago.
"They came to most of our meetings and events and were highly liked by our community," said Rhoads.
She says Ezekiel was always smiling, outgoing, and friendly. He often wore cowboy boots and a cowboy hat.
"[Ashley] just really seemed like a normal special needs mom who was really loving and protective over her child, that makes it all the more surprising this story came out," said Rhoads.
Berry says parents in their group have many similar experiences, raising a child with a heart defect is like a full time job.
"Your doctors appointments are pretty much your life," she said.
