According to the court documents, the father, later identified as 38-year-old Jose, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility for parole in the killing of his 7-month-old daughter Valeria. Prosecutors said the father regularly beat the baby so severely that he regularly broke her legs, leaving the child where she could no longer fight and heal from these injuries.
Jose was found guilty on one count of injury to a child resulting in serious bodily injury or death, court records say. According to the court documents, on Dec. 28, 2021, the father pulled up in front of the local county jail and flagged down a pair of maintenance workers. The father then told them that his infant was unconscious, and one of them called 911 to report the problem.
First responders arrived on scene and discovered that the child was limp and cold to the touch. The baby was rushed to the hospital, but, unfortunately, doctors could never get a cardiac rhythm. The baby was pronounced dead shortly after. The medical examiner discovered that the baby suffered bruising throughout her body and had multiple broken bones. The poor infant also had numerous bruises and hemorrhages to her head, face, neck, chin, shoulder, torso, right hand, and left leg.
Forensic Pathologist Dr. Gwin told investigators that the infant’s body simply could no longer fight and heal from these injuries. During an interview with investigators, the baby’s father reportedly attempted to cast blame on the child’s mother, the child’s pediatrician, her nieces and nephews, and even on the baby itself. Doctors later revealed that the baby’s injuries required a greater level of force to be inflicted than any of his stories could explain. Investigators also said that the baby’s injuries began just as the baby’s mother returned to work and left Jose as Valeria’s sole caregiver.