A 23-year-old mother from Texas is expected to face a lengthy prison term, following her admission to being responsible for the death of her 5-year-old daughter.
This young girl, named Mercedes Losoya, suffered terrible abuse and cruelty before her tragic passing.
Katrina Rose Mendoza, the mother, admitted her guilt on Monday. She pleaded guilty to a serious crime called "injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission," which is a very serious offense.
This happened in 2022, and the authorities confirmed these details to Law&Crime.
If she had been found guilty without a deal, Mendoza could have been sentenced to life in prison.
However, she reached an agreement with the Bexar County District Attorney's Office. In exchange for admitting her guilt, her sentence will be reduced to 45 years.
Mendoza and her then-boyfriend, Jose Angel Ruiz, were arrested in February 2022 after Mercedes' tragic death.
Ruiz has not pleaded guilty yet and will go to trial in October.
The judge, Stephanie Boyd, said she will decide Mendoza's sentence after Ruiz's trial is over.
Mendoza asked for probation, but the prosecutors are against it.
Mercedes was taken to the hospital on February 7 by Mendoza because she was unresponsive. Sadly, she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Doctors noticed visible injuries and informed the police.
The police investigated further and discovered the multiple injuries Mercedes had suffered.
Her injuries included missing patches of hair, bruises, scratches, cuts, and swelling all over her body. She even had defensive wounds on her hands.
Her legs and feet were battered, and some of her toenails were missing.
The medical examiner's office did an autopsy and found clear signs of extreme abuse and torture. Mercedes had so many injuries that it was hard to point to just one cause of death.
Mendoza told investigators that Ruiz had abused Mercedes for three weeks before her death.
She said she saw him doing terrible things like putting dog feces and a urine-soaked sock in the child's mouth. She claimed he even forcefully pulled out two of her teeth.
Mendoza also spoke about other physical abuse and punishment.
Ruiz, on the other hand, claimed he only slapped Mercedes and made her stand in the corner. He blamed Mendoza and Mercedes' sister for the injuries.
After Mendoza and Ruiz were arrested, Mercedes' 6-year-old sister was taken away from their home and put into the care of Child Protective Services.
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