CANELA AND PEREZ v. State

In May 2004, Lucero Espinoza (“Lucero”), age 8, and her older brother, Ricardo Espinoza, Jr. (“Ricardo Jr.”), age 9, lived with their parents in an apartment located on Park Heights Avenue in Northwest Baltimore. Also living in the same apartment were Lucero’s and Ricardo Jr.’s cousin, Alexis Espenjo Quezada (“Alexis”), age 10, and Alexis’s mother, Maria Andrea Espenjo Quezada (“Maria”). At that time, Lucero, Ricardo Jr. and Alexis were all students at Cross Country Elementary School in Baltimore City.

On the afternoon of May 27, 2004, the three children returned to their apartment after…