19-year-old girl’s death blamed on live-in partner

A man was charged in the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for allegedly beating up his teenage live-in partner who later collapsed and died in the hospital.

A complaint of homicide was filed against Anthony Martinez, 23, over the death of 19-year-old Leira Jazzmin Toloza on Oct. 7.

However, prosecutor Rowena Balagtas ordered the case to be further investigated as there was no one who witnessed the alleged beating. As a result, Martinez was later released.

Case investigator SPO1 Eric Lazo said Martinez and Toloza lived together on Kaliraya Street in Barangay Tatalon for three years.

At 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 7, Toloza was at the house of her grandmother Elizabeth Coronel in Caloocan City when the teenager suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed on the dining table.

Her family rushed her to Caloocan Medical Center where she was declared dead on arrival. A medico-legal report pointed to “acute myocardial infarction” as the cause of death.

The police learned that before her death, Toloza had confided in her grandmother and a cousin that Martinez beat her up at their house in Quezon City.

Later that same night, Toloza’s relatives asked for help from barangay officials in confronting Martinez but he slipped away. He then surrendered the next day, leading to the filing of a case against him.