Inset, left to right: Bernardo Gonzalez-Mejia (Sedgwick County Jail) and Jacob Aviles (GoFundMe). Background: The area in Kansas where Gonzalez-Mejia killed Jacob (Google Maps).
A 38-year-old Kansas man is going to prison for beating his girlfriend's 2-year-old son to death while babysitting the toddler.
A Sedgwick County jury on Wednesday convicted Bernardo Gonzalez-Mejia of first-degree murder, abuse of a child and aggravated endangering of a child in the 2019 death of Jacob Aviles, authorities announced.
According to a press release from the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office, jurors needed only about three hours of deliberation before reaching a guilty verdict following a seven-day trial before District Judge Eric Williams.
Jacob's mother, Stephanie Aviles, was convicted in July 2025 of first-degree murder and related charges in connection with her son's death.
As Law&Crime previously reported, the case dates back to Sept. 29, 2019, when Wichita police and emergency medical crews responded to a home in the 1100 block of West Munnell Avenue for a report of a child not breathing. Paramedics attempted lifesaving measures, but Jacob was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gonzalez-Mejia, who was dating Jacob's mother at the time, had been babysitting the victim while Aviles went out with her daughter to meet a relative.
Aviles said that when she left, Jacob was sitting at the kitchen table eating. Gonzalez-Mejia later called Aviles and claimed Jacob had choked on a meatball and fainted. He said the boy was beginning to turn yellow and, despite removing food from his mouth, was still unresponsive. Aviles called 911 and headed home.
By the time Aviles returned, police and emergency medical personnel were already working on her son. Jacob's body reportedly showed extensive bruising, and a subsequent autopsy revealed injuries that were inconsistent with the explanation that he had simply choked and fainted.
An autopsy determined Jacob suffered contusions on his head, arms, legs, abdomen and back, Wichita ABC affiliate KAKE reported. The child was also bleeding internally in his abdomen and suffered multiple lacerations to the mesentery, which is the tissue that anchors the large and small intestines to the posterior wall of the body. The death was ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.
Gonzalez-Mejia initially denied striking the child but later admitted he spanked Jacob with a belt over his diaper the previous evening because the boy was not eating.
Aviles had told police that Jacob repeatedly suffered new injuries after she left him alone with Gonzalez-Mejia. She described bruises and welts but claimed her boyfriend provided reasons for the injuries, despite two instances that required hospitalization.
"Bernardo would explain it away," Aviles told police.
Prosecutors later argued that Aviles knew Gonzalez-Mejia was abusing her son but continued leaving Jacob in his care. She was sentenced in September 2025 to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years, plus an additional 41 months, to be served consecutively.
Gonzalez-Mejia remains in custody as he awaits his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled before Williams on Dec. 14.
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