Jada Justice’s babysitter and her boyfriend charged with her murder
Little Jada Justice was apparently murdered by her 18 year old cousin/babysitter, Engelica Castillo, 18 and Engelica’s boyfriend, Timothy Tkachik, 24. Castillo and Tkachik took drugs and created a cover story after killing Jada and trying to dispose of her body, prosecutors allege. 
The two were arrested and charged with murdering the 2 year old and were also charged with 2 counts of neglect of a dependent, battery, and false information.
“This tragic ending is not the outcome we were all hoping for,” prosecutor Bernard Carter said today in a statement. “The relentless efforts by all involved shows that Northwest Indiana has a big heart.”
The pair are accused of doing heroin and marijuana in the hours leading up to Jada’s death. Afterwards they tried several times to get rid of her body before making up a story as to how she disappeared.
Tkachik, in a statement to police, blamed Castillo for Jada’s death. He said she died after Castillo beat her in the
head with her knuckles and after Jada struck her head against a table. According to Tkachik, Castillo spanked the little girl in a potty training session that escalated into a beating on June 13. He says he tried to get Castillo to stop. Later that night, Tkachik told investigators that during a heroin run, they discovered that the child had stopped breathing while in her carseat in the backseat of his car. They stopped the vehicle, attempted CPR, but she was already dead.
“I told you to stop,” Tkachik told investigators he told Castillo. “I told you enough is enough.”
Jada remained covered in the back seat as they drove for hours–back to Porter County, then to Chicago, and back to Hobart. In Hobart, Tkachik put Jada’s bruised body in the basement in garbage bags before they went to bed. The next day they attempted to burn Jada’s body in a hole in rural Westville where Tkachik ended up burning himself (see mug shot for his badly burned face) trying to get the fire going. When this failed, they drove back to Hobart, leaving Jada behind in the burned out hole.
The next day they purchased materials in a Merrillville hardware story and drove back to where they left Jada. They placed her body in a blue plastic tub, poured concrete over her and after it hardened, Tkachik chipped away the tub and dropped her concrete-encased body into a nearby swamp. He later brought the police to where he dumped her.
A Lake County coroner’s spokesman said today that Jada’s death was deemed a homicide by blunt force trauma. She had numerous skull fractures.
Castillo’s lawyer, T. Edward Page, said Castillo planned to plead not guilty to the charges.
“We believe that once all of the evidence is presented to a fair and impartial jury at trial, she will be cleared of responsibility for her cousin’s death,” Page said. “She is distraught over her cousin’s death and distraught that she has been accused of it.”
It was unclear Friday if Tkachik has retained a lawyer.
The duo could each face up to 65 years in prison if convicted. They are being held in Lake County Jail without bond.
read about it here:
About all I can say is that this makes me sick to my stomach. My thoughts and prayers are with Jada Justice’s family. They’ve not only lost Jada, but also another family member if she is convicted.
Maybe if we went back to “a eye for a eye” such crimes on children wouldn’t happen. Why not take both of these people beat them burn them and put them in a hole. Take Susan Smith strap her in a car and push it in a lake to slowly sink to her death as her two little boys did.
If people new if caught doing this type of crime if they new they would suffer the same death maybe they would show a little more self restraint. But no, just like Susan Smith they will go to a nice clean cell with television, books and the opportunity to get a college degree.
Sounds like justice to me.
Disgusted,
Lisa Terry Mother of 4 and Aunt of 8
Such a sad, sad story.I just don’t understand how Jada’s mother could not have known her cousin was a heroin addict. That said, my heart goes out to her and the father of this precious little girl. No one deserves to lose a child like this.
Lisa–I agree with you. We’ve become such a politically correct country and so afraid of offending the offenders that it’s no wonder these types of crimes are so rampant. Give them what they give, I say.
Lexie–I wonder that as well. How could she not have known? Did she know some guy (with a past) was living with her? Did she make an effort to see that her child would be safe? I don’t know the answers to these things, but I find it odd that she only talked to her once or twice in the time she had been gone. (who leaves their young toddler with an 18 year old for that length of time??) All questions that I imagine the mother will ask herself at some point. You are right, though. No one deserves to lose a child in that way–or any way, and I pray they can find some kind of peace in all of this someday.
I am so angry at these mothers that leave there children in the hands of such obvious creeps.
I don’t believe for a second that the mom was not away of her cousins drug use.
The mom was so apathetic and hardly showed emotion each time I saw her on tv.
I think we have another case of apathetic selfish parents who are willing to leave there children in the hands of anyone to go take care of there own needs.
Most likely the mother does drugs as well. Birds of a feather….
As angry as I was when I heard what happened to that precious little Girl Jada,
I had to take a Break and think about it again. I realize now it is not up to me to judge Jada’s Mom, like I did out of Anger.
I do know there will be Justice done for this little Girl, should it be through the Legal System or more important what will come later.
Every One eventually has to account for their Actions sooner or later. This Case won’t be any different.
For now I just need to let the Wheels of Justice go to work without my Interference.
I realize it is not good for me to harbor Anger like I did yesterday.
I am not a cruel Person, having said that I will say a Prayer for Jada’s Mom and Dad and All the People who truly loved this precious little Girl.
No Parent should loose their Child in such a horrific Way like Jada’s Parents did.
I do feel for them, I am not heartless.
The Perpetrators who committed this horrific Crime will have to answer for it,
that I am sure of.
Hi Starfish
It was stated by the mother or a family member that the 18 year old babysat all the time for the family. I wonder if that is true. The boyfriend’s father murdered his mother and a sibling years ago. I imagine he is a very troubled individual even if you take the drugs out of the equation. Not sure I believe his story.
Hilde–
You are way too hard on yourself. I just went back and re-read the post you are speaking of, and it was not out of line considering what we know about this case.
It is so very frustrating and sad when you hear about these little children–especialy when you realize that if their own parents had made better choices they could have been saved. Of course the mom is broken-hearted, and I’m not suggesting she isn’t. I just think we all need to be diligent in our efforts to protect and care for our precious children. They can be taken from us in a flash if we’re not.
thanks mystery for Your kind Words, I appreciate it.
I just don’t like being so angry, it really isn’t healthy and in the Long Run doesn’t change a Thing.
I have a little Grand Son, Justus he will be 3 in September and when I look at him,
I can’t even imagine why People do what they do to innocent Children.
All they want is be loved, they are such a precious Gift.
Thanks Mystery…this is yet another horrific story culminating in the death of an innocent little girl.
I detest drugs/druggies/pushers etc with a passion but have to agree with your other guests that the “mom” really must have known…grrrr!
When will it all end?
Hilde
I agree. I can’t imagine someone trying to hurt one of those trusting little soul. It makes me sick.
Hi Jill!
Yes, the mother couldn’t have been clueless in this.
I read that as the child was being spanked, the sitter became enraged because the child would not cry. Hmmmm…this is learned behavior, and it becomes obvious, I think, that this child had been physically abused before this. I also read that they wont get the death penalty because they are so young. Thats as bad a crime as the murder of the child itself. Disgusting. ~~Fifilala
Why would the one person blame the killers age as a reason not to leave your child with somebody i have had friends who have had kids at that age and they don’t do drugs and abuse their kids also i think my 16 year old cousin could be left with a baby and not kill it.That chick is evil because she is evil not because she is young
Michelle
I agree that there are definitely many teenagers that are trustworthy and make good babysitters. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave your children with a teenager for an extended period of time–like weeks. I agree with you–to kill a child is evil period–has nothin’ to do with your age.