Costa Mesa man charged with child abuse

Deepa Bharath

WEST SIDE -- A Costa Mesa man charged with child abuse in the death of

a toddler could get 25 years to life in prison if convicted, officials

said Wednesday.

Humen Islas-Castillo, 36, was arrested Oct. 18 for allegedly endangering 3-year-old Hayden Merrill, who had been left under his care.

The Orange County District Attorney charged Castillo with “assault on

a child with force likely to produce great bodily injury resulting in

death,” said Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Mike Fell.

Fell said the abuse charge, which is as serious as murder, deals

specifically with reckless activity with children that can result in

death or serious bodily injury.

Both Fell and Deputy Dist. Atty. Debora Lloyd, who is handling the

case, refused to provide details of how the boy was hurt or the nature of

the injuries he suffered.

Costa Mesa Police Department officials also declined to comment and

said the case was being handled entirely by the District Attorney’s

Office.

One of Castillo’s neighbors in an apartment complex on Pomona Avenue

said she was shocked to hear about the child’s death. Nayeli Grijalva

said she and her family have known Castillo since they moved into the

complex a year ago.

Grijalva said Castillo was a “nice and friendly man.”

“He was a good neighbor,” she said. “He would always wish us, you

know, say ‘good morning.’ ”

Castillo was living with his girlfriend, who is Hayden’s mother,

Grijalva said. Castillo and Hayden seemed to get along with each other,

she said.

“I can’t imagine he killed him (deliberately),” she said. “He treated

the kid like his.”

The child did cry a lot, Grijalva said.

Castillo was scheduled to be arraigned in Harbor Justice Center on

Monday, the hearing was postponed until Nov. 3. He is being held in

Orange County Jail with bail set at $250,000.