MOTHER GUILTY IN BOY'S DEATH TODDLER WAS BEATEN, POISONED, SUFFOCATED.

Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer

A Lancaster woman was convicted Wednesday of murdering her toddler son, who was beaten, poisoned with an over-the-counter antihistamine, suffocated and, after he was dead, burned in a tamale pot.

A Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated about half a day before finding 44-year-old Sylvia Rolon guilty of second-degree murder, assault on a child causing death and child abuse.

Rolon's boyfriend, Anthony Bill Lopez, 39, was convicted in June 2006 of torturing and murdering 22-month-old Isaac Lopez, and he was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Rolon's attorney, Edward Murphy, said he made a motion to dismiss the murder and assault counts but Judge Michael Pastor denied it.

``I respectfully disagree with the court's ruling, and I believe that her convictions will be reversed on appeal,'' Murphy said.

Murphy said the basis for the motion was evidence showing that although she was present when Lopez started beating Isaac, she never laid a hand on her son.

``She never called 911, never did anything but be terrified for her other six children,'' Murphy said. ``You don't commit murder or assault by not doing anything. If you stand by and watch A shoot B and kill him, there's no California authority that makes you guilty of murder.''

Prosecutor Mary Murray could not be reached for comment.

Rolon's sentencing is set for Feb. 27. She faces 25 years to life in prison, officials said.

Authorities said the child was killed April 21, 2003, at Rolon's Lancaster condominium and remained there about a day before being taken away by Lopez in his van.

Lopez drove to Bassett in the east San Gabriel Valley to visit his friend and was found two days later with the child's body in the van, parked at Bassett Park.

Rolon's six other children, ranging then in age from 13 years to 4 months, were placed in protective custody. Her four oldest children were from other relationships, authorities said.

The youngest three, including Isaac, were from a relationship with Lopez, who had been living in Des Moines, Iowa, but returned to Lancaster two or three weeks before Isaac was killed.

A confidential county auditor-control report faulted social workers for poor oversight, incompetence and numerous policy violations in returning the boy to his parents' care.

Lopez and Rolon had at least a 10-year history with the Department of Children and Family Services, with Lopez being convicted of spousal abuse and physically abusing one of Rolon's sons.

However, a series of policy violations and mistakes -- including a case worker failing to read the family's entire history of child abuse and neglect -- led to Rolon's seven children being returned to her, an internal county audit concluded.

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com

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