Jealous Richland man spiked a tough kindergartner’s food with estrogen to ‘soften him up’

A Richland man allegedly bought estrogen off the internet so he could “soften up” a kindergartner by spiking the boy’s food with the liquid hormones.

Roberto P. Mendoza, 25, told police he is jealous that the 5-year-old boy is tougher than his own son of the same age, according to court documents.

He also is alleged to have bought “sex changing pills,” intending to give them to the boy to make him less tough. He never did it.

“Roberto stated he wasn’t trying to kill (the boy), only change his behavior,” documents said.

However, in the process, another kid may have consumed some of the liquid estrogen on one occasion when it was poured into a bottle of fruit punch for the young boy.

Mendoza was arrested just before noon Sunday and booked into the Benton County jail.

He is being held on suspicion of second-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault of a child, in addition to violation of a domestic violence no-contact order.

Bail is set at $20,000 on the assault.

Prosecutors have until May 6 to charge Mendoza or release him from custody.

Richland investigators uncovered the alleged tainting after police responded to a separate call involving the court order.

Once Mendoza was in custody, he told police he had been giving estrogen to a child, and immediately was taken to the police department for further questioning.

Mendoza said after buying five bottles of estrogen online, he administered them to the boy between November and January, court documents said.

“Roberto told no one of his actions at the time and acted alone,” documents said. “He stated he called and talked with several people recently and told them what he had been doing.”

Mendoza also is accused of strangling a woman he had been dating in an attempt “to reset her,” court documents said.

He told police he believes the woman passed out during the attack in late December or early January, and may not have been able to breathe, documents said. He eventually let go of her.