The tragedy of little Bella: Father convicted of killing daughter, 3, whom he called 'ugly'
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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: A 32-year-old Pennsylvania man has been convicted for murdering his "malnourished" three-year-old daughter, whom he called “ugly” and an “animal." Bella Seachrist was found unresponsive in a bathtub on June 9, 2020, when police officers responded to a Tenth Street residence. She was taken to UPMC St Margaret Hospital near Aspinwall, where she was pronounced dead.
On May 11, Seachrist’s father, Jose Eduardo Salazar-Ortiz, was found guilty by Judge Bruce R Beemer of third-degree murder, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of minors and conspiracy, according to Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas records, reviewed by Law&Crime. During the non-jury trial, a pediatrician noted that Seachrist was “tortured” and she “looked like a child out of a concentration camp” before she died. “When officers and paramedics arrived, they found the child appearing to be badly bruised and malnourished. Officers and medics performed life-saving measures and transported the child to an area hospital where the child was pronounced deceased,” authorities stated.
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Who are the other suspects in Bella Seachrist's death?
Prosecutors presented a slew of text messages where Salazar-Ortiz and Seachrist's stepmother called the little girl “ugly” and an “animal.” Authorities further noted that Seachrist would get punished for bedwetting and she even slept on a cot in the family's Oakmont home corridor. However, two other women also were detained in the investigation but their cases are yet to go to trial.
According to investigators, the 30-year-old stepmother, Laura Michelle Ramriez and her sister, 23-year-old Alexis Melissa Herrera, were all responsible for Seachrist's "prolonged physical and mental abuse." Herrera has been charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children and unlawful restraint of a minor while Ramriez faces charges of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, unlawful restraint, criminal homicide, conspiracy and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child. In addition to Seachrist, Ramriez, and Salazar-Ortiz are reportedly parents of three other biological children.
'I want them to pay for what they did'
Seachrist was born as a result of an affair that Salazar-Ortiz had with Nicole, who lost the child's custody. She told KDKA in 2020, “I will never get to hear my daughter call me mommy. I will never get to see her graduate. I will never get to see her go to college. I will never get to see her get married. I want them to pay for what they did.”
Nicole said that Salazar-Ortiz behaved "out of spite" since Seachrist wasn't his biological child. “I’m disgusted, I’m angry, and pissed off,” the devastated mother added. Records have stated that his sentencing is set for August 8.