It was back in April when 19-year-old Ayled Chavez first told Bakersfield Police that her 2-year-old son Ramon Reyes Chavez was kidnaped.
According to court documents Chavez told police her son was with her boyfriend, 20-year-old Kaleb Kessinger the day she reported him missing to police. Chavez said while her son Ramon was with Kessinger her toddler's head was hit by a car door. Chavez then told police when she went to pick her son up from Kessinger’s he was alive. She said they both attempted to get the two year old help but he died due to his injuries.
Carlos Reyes, the father of 2-year-old Ramon Reyes Chavez said he doesn't believe that's what happened, "So like I don't believe her."
Documents said that instead of calling police Chavez and Kessinger took the boy’s body to the Kern River Canyon and left. Chavez also said Kessinger then went back and buried the boy’s body.
"I was actually happy to be a dad and now that they took that away from me like I don't know I just be thinking about him constantly," Reyes said.
In the mist of funeral arrangements for his son Ramon, one father was also watching the story unfold on television from his Kingsburg home in Fresno County. "We saw it on one of the local affiliates here in Fresno and it really bothered me, it upset me I've got two kids of my own and you can't help but kind of put yourself in his shoes and so just wanted to reach out see if we could help," John Elisarraraz said.
Since Elisarraraz, also creates grave stones and monuments for burial sites out of his mom and pop shop near Kingsburg cemetery he decided to donate a custom made grave stone to help Reyes preserve his son's memory, his way.
"It means a lot to me because when I think about him I just look at this picture and it makes me happy, because I gotta remember his good times like his smile and all that instead of remembering all of the stuff he went through," Reyes said. A friend of Reyes created a picture of 2-year-old Ramon in the clouds after 23ABC told Reyes that a man wanted to donate a grave stone. That same picture and a special quote will now be featured on Ramon's grave.
Reyes expressed his overwhelming thanks to a stranger he's never met for bringing light into a dark time with a kind gesture, "I really, really appreciate it a lot god bless you."
As for Elisarraraz he’s just happy to contribute to Ramon’s memory, "If it helps at all that's enough for me."
Reyes and Beer monuments will work together to capture Ramon's image through art before finalizing the grave stone.
Paradise Pictures, an additional company also donated their time towards the artwork featured on the stone.
Kessinger and Chavez have both pled not guilty to first degree murder, conspiracy and child abuse charges, but both of them are expected back in court June 13th and 14th.
