A Pennsylvania couple is being held without bond in connection with the alleged murder of their foster son. Cesar Delgadillo allegedly beat the boy to near death in their home. Video surveillance not only supported the assertion but also made it easier to arrest the man. Shortly after his arrest, the footage revealed that his wife apparently was aware of the beating, and she did nothing to stop it. Unfortunately, the boy succumbed to his severe injuries.
Cesar Delgadillo was arrested on August 4, 2025, after police were called to his home for an unresponsive child, WNEP reported. Upon arrival, police found the 13-year-old boy covered in marks and cuts. He was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, where he died about an hour later.
Virginia Delgadillo told police that she and her husband shared a biological child and were foster parents to four other children. Two of the children claimed that the teen, who has not been identified, assaulted them, the news outlet reported. Her husband, who reportedly had been drinking, took the teen to the garage, where he allegedly beat him for an extended period of time.
Cesar Delgadillo allegedly struck the boy with a stick and whipped him with an electrical cord, but video surveillance footage reportedly showed even more gruesome abuse.
“The video captures large amounts of blood being deposited on the floor during the assaults,” state police wrote in an affidavit, according to WNEP. “Some of the children who reside in the residence were observed actively cleaning blood from the floor.”
The man was also caught shoving a “stick-like object” down the boy’s throat. He later beat the boy with the same stick.
Investigators found blood spatter in the living room, as well as in the kitchen and bathroom. More blood was found in the boy’s bedroom on the floor and wall. Bloody clothing was found with holes that were consistent with the cuts found on the boy, WNEP reported. A strong smell of bleach permeated throughout the house. The video also reportedly showed Virginia Delgadillo watching as her husband beat the boy.
According to WVIA, the other four children in the home, who ranged from ages 5 to 16, had “various stages of bruising and injuries to their bodies.” Each child was beaten “over an extended period of time” with the electrical cord, a back scratcher, and a rubber hammer.
“The children are now in the custody of Luzerne County CYF. They are in a safe location,” Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo told the news outlet.
Virginia Delgadillo was arrested the day after her husband. She was charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of children, four counts of corruption of minors, and one count of tampering with physical evidence.
Cesar Delgadillo has been charged with homicide, evidence tampering, child endangerment, and obstruction, per WNEP. According to WOLF, the couple is being held without bail at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
