Death penalty sought for California couple who killed 10-year-old boy after pouring hot sauce on his face
Prosecutors in California have announced that they intend to seek the death penalty against a mother and her boyfriend who have been accused of killing their 10-year-old son by torturing him. The child was repeatedly whipped on the bottom of his feet with a belt, body-slammed, and even forced to kneel on grains of rice, according to authorities.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, on Wednesday, announced its plan despite California Governor Gavin Newsom issuing an official moratorium on capital punishment in the state in March this year.
29-year-old Heather Barron and 32-year-old Kareem Leiva pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges, including murder involving the infliction of torture. Subsequently, a grand jury in December last year decided to indict Barron and Leiva on capital murder charges.
The child, Anthony Avalos, reportedly died on June 2, 2018, a week after incessant torture was allegedly inflicted on him by the duo. Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami, during the trial last year, had said that Barron and Leiva, in the days leading up to the boy's death, allegedly poured hot sauce on the boy's face, gave him rug burns, and dropped him on his head after dangling him upside down.
The 10-year-old was found unresponsive in the family home in Lancaster after his mother called 911 to say that he had fallen down the stairs. He was put on life support but he passed away the following day.
Authorities, however, caught on to the couple's misdeeds after they detected signs of the child being severely beaten. Medical officials also told the authorities that the child was malnourished. An examination of his body found out that he had bruises, abrasions and even cigarette burns on his skin.
Further reports state that the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services had received multiple tips about the boy being abused in the couple's house, however, they continued to allow the boy to remain in their home.
An attorney representing the boy's relatives said that the agency reportedly probed nearly 88 claims of abuse dating back to 2013 and at least two of 15 substantiated claims involved sexual abuse. The LA County Sheriff’s Department said that shortly after Anthony's death, seven other children, between 11 months and 12 years old, were removed from the home.
According to the LA Times report, in one instance, Leiva hit Anthony's younger brother with so much force that the child required medical attention and staples to close a head wound.
Hatami, at the time, had said: "The evidence will clearly show that Leiva and Barron are ultimately responsible for the torture and eventual murder of Anthony. The evidence will show that Barron, who's Anthony's biological mother, and Leiva, who's six-feet-one-inch and weighs 200 pounds, brutally, brutally tortured and intentionally murdered 10-year-old Anthony."