Life sentences handed down to child’s killers
Two year old died in hospital after a beating
A COUPLE convicted of killing the woman’s two- year- old son – who died in hospital in Elche on September 17, 2018, four days after a severe beating – have been given reviewable permanent life sentences.
Cristina J. M and her boyfriend José Antonio P. V, aged 27 and 29, who have been held in custody since it happened, were convicted of murder aggravated by their familial relationship with the victim, as well as habitual abuse aggravated by cruelty.
The verdict of the jury found that he regularly beat young Aaron and that she consented despite knowing it could kill him.
He had slapped, punched and even stamped on her son, and squeezed his neck so hard he could not breathe and lost consciousness.
The mother, who was present in the home for this final, fatal assault ‘ did nothing to protect him or stop it’, states the provincial court ruling.
Realising the gravity of the boy’s condition, they took him to Vinalopó hospital where he eventually died from anoxic encephalopathy caused by strangulation.
Doctors also found injuries from previous, regular abuse, including bruises, red skin patches and fractures.
Both the accused were given reviewable permanent life sentences for murder, plus three years for the habitual abuse.
The boy’s father brought his own prosecution and his lawyer had been calling for this sentence while the public prosecutor sought 28 years.
The couple were ordered to compensate the boy’s father with € 150,000 and his paternal grandmother with € 70,000 for moral damages, one of the few times this has been awarded to someone who is not next of kin and awarded due to her close relationship with her grandson. They also have to pay almost € 7,000 to the regional health service for the medical attention they provided to her son.
Spanish press reports indicate that this is the first time a reviewable permanent life sentence has been imposed in Alicante province, and it is only the second in Spain against a woman ( the other also being for the killer of a child).