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Texas mom gets 99 years for gluing toddler to wall, beating her
[Updated at 4:22 p.m. ET] A Texas mother who super-glued her 2-year-old daughter's hands to a wall and beat her over potty training problems was sentenced Friday morning to 99 years in prison, a Dallas County felony records department district clerk said.
Elizabeth Escalona, 23, will be eligible to ask for parole in 30 years. She pleaded guilty in July to a charge of first-degree injury to a child, a crime punishable by anywhere between probation and life in prison.
"This mom was pure evil, and her children are better off without her," prosecutor Eren Price said after a judge delivered Friday's sentence. "Her five kids now have a chance to lead a productive life."
Escalona’s attorney said that the sentence was excessive and that an appeal would be filed, CNN affiliate KTVT reported.
Escalona's daughter Jocelyn Cedillo was less than two months shy of her 3rd birthday in September 2011 when Escalona used a powerful adhesive to glue her hands to a wall and beat her because of potty training troubles, authorities said. Three other children belonging to Escalona, who was pregnant at the time, witnessed the abuse, according to Dallas County district attorney's office spokeswoman Debbie Denmon.
The child urinated on herself during the ordeal, during which she was hit in head and kicked in the groin, among other forms of abuse, Denmon said.
Oefelia Escalona, the defendant's mother, testified during her daughter's sentencing hearing this week that she found the girl and took her to a hospital. Once Jocelyn was there, medical authorities noticed severe bruises to her face and head, as well as a severe brain injury that led to her temporarily being in a coma.
At this week's sentencing hearing, prosecutors showed pictures of Jocelyn's hands and bruised body and forehead.
"The entire picture was very shocking," said Dr. Amy Barton, then a child abuse pediatrician at Children's Medical Center of Dallas, choking back tears on the stand on Monday. "I see a lot of children, and this was one of the most shocking cases that I have seen."
Escalona asked for leniency during her sentencing hearing this week, saying she behaved like a monster but deserved a second chance, KTVT reported. Her mother asked the judge to sentence Elizabeth to probation, according to KTVT.
Price initially offered a plea bargain of 45 years in prison, but Escalona turned it down, the district attorney's office said.
Price said that the judge, after learning more about Escalona during the hearing, was justified in sentencing her to more time.
"Elizabeth Escalona wasn't sorry for what she did to 2-year-old Jocelyn. Elizabeth Escalona felt sorry for herself," Price said. "Those tears on the stand were for her and not for the toddler she tortured."
An attempt to reach Escalona's attorney for comment Friday was not immediately successful.
Before this incident, Escalona had been investigated by Texas Child Protective Services but never arrested or charged, Denmon said.
The child welfare agency put all of her children in foster care after Jocelyn was taken to the hospital. All five of them, including Jocelyn, are now in the custody of their grandmother, Oefelia Escalona.
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Don't feed the troll.
what is the hell is up with the cps? so many times a child is killed or abused enough to be in the hospital and cps was already involved..yet did not save the child from harm. this abusive/sick mom could have been stopped if they did more.
Meg, I'm sorry but no excuse is allowed here. You couldn't put a gun to my head and ask me to do what this woman did. There are literally millions of other things she could have done that would have been better than this. The woman is either mentally ill or she is a psychopath. Either way, she should not be allowed around children again.
The women was evil, but likely depressed. Having so many kids and getting pregnant once again became unbearable. Her husband was part of the problem, not caring for her and only wanting more kids.
sick
I didn't think 99 year was warranted by the headline. Its the brain damage from trauma to the head that makes her more deserving of the setence.
neck tattoo says it all
Diversity is strength. We are a nation of immigrants. Everybody is equal but the color of their skin. Quit clinging to your narrow concept of a caucasion nuclear family like 1960s Leave it to Beaver. Unwed single mothers of color make America the melting pot despite efforts of republican war on women to demonize them. Obama/Biden 2012!
Yes.
What I don't get is why the foster parent that killed baby Elyssa was only charge with negligence? Do not get me wrong I am glad this woman got 99 years, but the other woman beat to death a 15 month baby! Its disgusting!
This subhuman makes the perfect argument for forced sterilization.
The only reason she got 99 years is because the Judge is racist and hates Latinos. She would have gotten less time if she would have killed here child. There is definately something wrong in TEXAS!
That's why I always advise not to have kids unless you really want them.
They couldn't make it a even 100?
WHAT ??????????????
the white women who killed and dismembered her step daughter got 20 years.............and this women get 99 years??? LMAO USA JUSTICE SYSTEM. .
So all of Escalona's children are now in the custody of her mother??? Her mother also asked for her to just get probation. Do we really NOT think that this grandmother will let the children still be exposed to their mother? WOW!!
I have a better idea. Glue her to a tree in the Rocky Mountain Forest and leave her for the mountain lions......or bears....or wolves....or ants.
No, why pollute the Rocky Mountains? Besides, she'd encounter a much worse fate in the jungle.