MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A family is in mourning after they lost 22-month-old Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez. Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez was on a ventilator and in a coma for nine days. He died Wednesday.
"[I] never prayed before like that in my life. I was on my knees praying every night. I was just crying, begging the Lord 'come bring my son back,' begging someone to come heal," Jorge Ramirez, Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez's dad, said.
Racine Police said Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez suffered serious head trauma. Since his death, police have arrested his mother's boyfriend on suspected first degree reckless homicide charges.
Watch: Family mourns loss of Racine toddler who died of severe head trauma:
We're not naming him because he hasn't been criminally charged.
"He was just the happiest baby I knew. Like, every time I saw Joriel, he always had a smile on his face. He was always jumping. Just a happy baby," aunt Jennifer Ramirez said.
Just shy of turning two, family said Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez was their world.
"He just like always waved, always blew kisses," Jennifer Ramirez said.
"He was perfect. He was just the most beautiful kid ever. Every room he walked in to, he would just brighten it up," Jorge Ramirez added.
Jorge Ramirez lives in Milwaukee and has shared custody of Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez with his mother, who family said lives in Racine.
"I got a call that, you know, he was being rushed to the hospital. She tells me like 'this is serious. Joriel stopped breathing, he started turning blue. I tried to bring him back, but he couldn't come back', and she took him to the hospital," Jorge Ramirez explained.
Racine Police said Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez was originally brought to Ascension Hospital in Racine. He was then life-flighted to Children's Hospital with "significant head trauma".
"I just was sitting there, the whole time sitting there imaging his face livening up, opening his eyes saying 'papa' like he always does, but it never came," Jorge Ramirez said. "It's world ending. Crushing, you know. Like, it's just the worst thing ever."
After nine days on a ventilator and in a coma, Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez died.
"Fue mucho dolor me siento basía. Me siento que lo se completa," grandmother Silvia Arechiga said.
English translation: "It was very painful. I feel empty. I feel incomplete."
The family is at a loss for words and answers.
We tried calling Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez's mother, her family, and tried showing up to their home in Racine on Friday. They were not willing to talk.
"'Til the very end, I felt every last little ounce of life, you know, and I cried for him the whole time," Jorge Ramirez said.
"Solamente eso quiero yo insisto quiero justicia. Quiero justicia," Arechiga added.
English translation: "Just that. I insist that I want justice. I want justice."
Family is having a food sale to benefit Joriel Ramirez-Rodriguez Saturday June 6 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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