Preliminary hearings continued to Sept. 4 for defendants in death of Oakmont toddler

The preliminary hearings for three Oakmont residents accused of the physical and psychological torture, and eventual death, of a toddler have been continued to September, according to court records.

Jose Salazar-­Ortiz Sr., 29, and Laura Ramriez, 27, were charged June 24 with homicide, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

Ramriez’s sister, Alexis Herrera, 20, also was charged. She turned herself in after a warrant had been issued. She is charged with homicide, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

The preliminary hearing for all three, initially scheduled for Friday, July 10, was continued to Sept. 4 in Pittsburgh Municipal Court.

The charges stem from the June 9 death of Bella Seachrist, who was 3. She was found unresponsive in a bathtub in the family’s Oakmont home. First responders noted Bella appeared to be malnourished and badly bruised. She was taken to a hospital, where she died.

In a criminal complaint filed against Salazar-Ortiz, the father; Ramriez, the stepmother; and Herrera, police said Seachrist experienced multiple incidents of extreme physical and sexual abuse.

Incidents described in the complaint include Seachrist being punched and kicked, tied to a banister with shoelaces, locked in a closet, beaten with a wooden spoon and belt, and being forced to stand in a corner with one leg raised for extended periods of time.

Details of the sexual abuse were not included in the complaint.

Court documents show Salazar-Ortiz Sr. was granted sole legal custody of Bella in August 2017, after the girl had lived with a foster family for a short period of time and, before that, with her biological mother, Nicole Seachrist, in Verona.

Herrera and Ramriez face additional charges of unlawful restraint and false imprisonment.

Court records show Salazar-Ortiz Sr. and Herrera have acquired private attorneys. Ramriez was assigned a public defender.

The toddler’s death sparked outrage in the community, including from family and friends. They are calling for changes to existing laws to ensure children who are placed in homes by youth service entities are monitored until their 18th birthday.