A man from Chicago, who has a felony background, was released from prison on Monday while a 9-year-old boy’s death remains under investigation following the attack on August 10.
Michael Corosa, 52, faces charges of felony involuntary manslaughter after the tragic death of Elijah Flores occurred during a robbery that went wrong.
At the time of the incident, Flores was under the supervision of 22-year-old Jonah Soria, who was in a relationship with the boy’s mother.
When the Green Line train arrived at the station, Soria allegedly pushed Flores onto the platform, stole cash from another individual, and then fled the scene. Reportedly, Flores had been with Corosa and his friend during the interaction.
Soria is said to have picked up Flores in an attempt to escape, but at the top of the stairs, Corosa caught up with both of them.
In the ensuing confusion, Corosa is accused of striking Soria with an object and then pushing both Soria and Flores down the stairs.
Flores suffered a severe head injury after falling, and Soria landed on him as well. Soria managed to pick up Flores and boarded another train afterward.
A bystander called emergency services, and Flores was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Corosa was taken into custody on August 30 and is also facing additional charges related to the incident, specifically regarding attacks against a transit employee.
Despite these charges, he was released while waiting for trial.
According to reports, Corosa is a former felon who previously served two years in prison for attacking security guards at a Walgreens in 2020.
Interestingly, he was arrested three days after the alleged train incident for drug-related offenses, as indicated by prison records.
Soria has not been charged concerning Flores’ death but did face an arrest for an existing warrant regarding retail theft and failing to attend a court appearance in a separate battery case.
It’s unclear if Corosa has legal representation; efforts to reach out to public defense and police have so far not provided answers.
On a different note, President Donald Trump recently commented on the crime situation in Chicago, stating that he would intervene to help reduce crime rates. He highlighted a surge in shootings over the recent weekends and expressed a strong desire to address the issue swiftly, likening it to his past efforts in Washington, D.C.
