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http://news.yahoo.com/mom-gets-99-ye...160458042.html
DALLAS (AP) — A Dallas woman who beat her 2-year-old daughter and glued the toddler's hands to a wall was sentenced Friday to 99 years in prison by a judge who described his decision as a necessary punishment for a brutal, shocking attack.Elizabeth Escalona did not immediately react as State District Judge Larry Mitc pronounced the sentence at the end of a five-day hearing. Prosecutor Eren Price, who originally offeredEscalona a plea deal for 45 years, had argued that she now thought the 23-year-old mother deserved life.
Mitc said his decision came down to one thing.
"On Sept. 7, 2011, you savagely beat your child to the edge of death," Mitc said. "For this you must be punished."
The beating left Jocelyn Cedillo in a coma for a couple of days.
Escalona's other children told authorities their mother attackedJocelyn due to potty training problems. Police say she kicked her daughter in the stomach, beat her with a milk jug, then stuck her hands to an apartment wall with an adhesive commonly known as Super Glue.
Jocelyn suffered bleeding in her brain, a fractured rib, multiple bruises and bite marks, a doctor testified. Some skin had been torn off her hands, where doctors also found glue residue and white paint chips from the apartment wall.
Escalona pleaded guilty in July to one count of felony injury to a child.
Price said Escalona would be eligible to apply for parole in 30 years.
Mitc could have sentenced Escalona to anywhere from probation to life in prison. A sentence as long as 99 years is rare for felony injury to a child cases in Texas, but not unheard of. According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, about 2,100 inmates are serving prison sentences for felony injury offenses involving a child, elderly or disabled victim. Just fewer than 5 percent of those inmates are serving sentences of 99 years or more, including life.
Defense attorney Angie N'Duka said afterward that the sentence was "way too harsh" and suggested the widespread attention her client's case had received contributed to the sentence.
"It's a lot of pressure, a lot of pressure on the parties," N'Duka said.
Price said prosecutors decided to ask for a longer sentence after receiving more evidence they wouldn't have had if Escalona had taken a deal for 45 years.
"We feel like the judge listened very carefully to a very difficult week of testimony, and we feel like he did exactly what the evidence called for," Price said.
Throughout the hearing, Price sought to portray Escalona as a liar, a monster and an unfit mother. She forced Escalona Thursday to look at enlarged photos of the bruises her attack left on Jocelyn.
Price argued Friday that if a stranger had beaten Jocelyn the same way, no one would hesitate to give that person life in prison. Escalona had mishandled a "beautiful gift" of a daughter and failed to recognize what she had done, Price argued.
"The 45-year recommendation was for somebody who was going to take ownership of what she did, appreciate what she caused," Price said.
Sending her to prison for decades would protect her children's future, Price argued.
"You can give Jocelyn and her brothers and sister peace," she said. "You can give them peace, so that when they're sitting around the dinner table at Thanksgiving with their big family, they're not worried that their mother is going to come walking through the door."
Defense attorney Angie N'Duka asked for probation or a prison sentence shorter than 10 years. N'Duka argued that her client was a "train wreck" waiting to happen before the attack, the product of a broken home, abuse and a childhood that included illegal drugs and hanging out with gang members.
N'Duka repeated that she did not want to minimize the injuries from the attack.
"They are de able, but then the question is, 'What is justice for Jocelyn?'" she said, adding later: "Giving Elizabeth the opportunity to be a better mother, giving her the opportunity to get counseling services, will be justice for Jocelyn."
Escalona's five children, including Jocelyn and a baby born after the attack, are in the care of their grandmother, Ofeila Escalona.
Mitc listened to both lawyers and took a short break before delivering his sentence.
The judge said he believed many of the allegations that Escalona was abused as a child. "And again, outside of the context of this trial, I think even the state would find you to be a sympathetic figure, because they prosecute people for what was done to you," Mitc said. "But I can't consider that evidence outside of the context of this trial."
He then announced the sentence. A family member of Escalona began sobbing and screaming, "No!"
N'Duka told reporters that Escalona had asked afterward, "What about my children?"
Ofelia Escalona had asked for leniency for her daughter. After the sentencing, she left the courtroom with a solemn expression, ignoring reporters' shouted questions.feminism
"Escalona"
That's just horrendous. The single mom population in this state is about the stupidest and most selfish that exists. Very sad.
What an enormous generalisation to make..
Damn they brought the hammer down on her. I don't really agree with the length of the sentence seeing as how plenty of rapists and murderers get 20 years or less. But if you don't wanna go to prison, don't savagely beat your child I guess. lol she looks disgusting though
You are absolutely right it is a huge generalization unfortunately, but it's my personal opinion based on years of observation.
(I do realize there are many exceptions)
Last edited by mrsmaalox; 10-13-2012 at 10:37 AM.
Don't do stupid in Texas. Plain and simple. We are known for administering the harshest punishments known to man in court and we still have a plethora of dumb mother ers
99 years is serious overkill.
A lot of murderers in this state get less than that.
Child abuse should be punished, but the punishment in this case is pretty wildly excessive.
I just saw this on yahoo, and was going to post this on the board myself. this stupid . Someone should glue her hands to the wall and kick the out of her.
They offered her a plea bargain at 45 years, and she didn't accept. Her own ing fault. You should get extra time if it's your own kid you're ing up, especially when you have other kids.
i think she should get about 20 years which is probably what they had in mind when they handed down that sentence, pretty sure she'll only serve around 20. btw that's one ugly be@ner.
Pretty excessive...kids are just annoying, smelly creatures.
the judge just sent a message to all them es who have also treated their kids badly imho. maybe the be@ner will get released on parole in 20yrs or so, but the initial 99yr sentence will stand as a strong declaration of war against all them arrogant feminists who abuse children for fun
would've been sentenced to 3 lives in prison if she got caught torturing a son of hers (which she's also done countless times more likely than not) tbh. it's a men's world and we're gonna make them ES pay if they ever with ANYONE of us:
You dont around with kids.
I'd give the the lethal injection.
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