The parents of a Stamford toddler found buried in a local park expected to be sentenced to 16 years in prison when they appeared in Stamford Superior Court Tuesday. But Superior Court Judge Gary White had other plans.

“I decided that the offer that the court initially made was insufficient. It was too light,” White stated during what was supposed to be the sentencing hearing for Edgar Ismalej-Gomez and Iris Rivera-Santos.

In November, both defendants accepted offers made by White that saw them plead guilty in connection to their son’s death in exchange for 16 years. Police found 2-year-old Liam Rivera buried in a shallow grave at Cummings Park on Jan. 2, 2023. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the child’s head. Police also said there were several bruises on Liam’s body.

At first, police named Ismalej-Gomez the prime suspect after Rivera-Santos pointed the finger at him and claimed he held her captive. But police said nothing about her initial story proved true. They also learned DCF had been involved with Rivera-Santos throughout Liam's short life.

Police arrested both on allegations they abused the child, buried him and tried to cover up the crime. But neither was ever charged with the homicide despite both being suspects.

“Unfortunately, neither the police nor the state was ever able to determine who in fact killed Liam Rivera. That's why there is no homicide count before the court at this point,” said Stamford State’s Attorney during the plea hearing on Nov. 25.

Instead, Rivera-Santos pleaded guilty to two counts of risk of injury to a minor and two counts of tampering with evidence along with charges of cruelty to persons, conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, unlawful removal of a dead body and false reporting of an incident.

Ismalej-Gomez entered guilty pleas on charges of risk of injury to a minor, cruelty to persons, tampering with evidence, conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, unlawful removal of a dead body, hindering prosecution, violation of a protective order and violation of probation.

After the hearing, a pre-sentencing report was done on each defendant. In court Tuesday, the judge said it was those reports that made him rethink his offers. “I think a higher sentence for each defendant is more appropriate,” White stated.

He proposed 20 years for Rivera-Santos and 18 years for Ismalej-Gomez. Lawyers for both requested more time to speak to their clients before each decides whether to accept the longer sentence or withdraw the guilty pleas and go to trial. The judge set a new date of April 21.

After court, attorney Dan Ford, who represents Rivera-Santos, had nothing to say beyond that it’s the judge’s discretion.

Dominick Angotta, the attorney for Ismalej-Gomez, told News 12," It's unfortunate. We spent a lot of time going over the disposition with Mr. Ismalej-Gomez and now we are back to the drawing board. I don't know what he is going to decide."