State District Judge Larry Mitchell sentenced Elizabeth Escalona to 99 years in prison for brutally beating her two year old daughter Jocelyn Cedillo and then gluing her hands to the wall. Escalona can apply for parole in 30 years.
Initially, the 23-year-old mother from Dallas was offered 45 years in prison by prosecutor Eren Price, if she agreed to a plea deal. However the defense attorney Angie N'Duka was asking for a prison sentence less than 10 years.
"On Sept. 7, 2011, you savagely beat your child to the edge of death...For this you must be punished... The 45-year recommendation was for somebody who was going to take ownership of what she did, appreciate what she caused," as reported by Yahoo News.
In July, Escalona pled guilty to one count of felony injury to the child. According to court documents, Escalona beat the two year-old for a "potty mishap" kicked her in the stomach repeatedly and then hit her with a mug multiple times before super-gluing her hands to the wall. The two year old suffered multiple fractures and cuts and was also in a coma for two days.
The trial lasted for five days, after which Judge Mitchell made the ruling. The defense claims the judge's decision was "way too harsh," while prosecutor Price said, "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," as reported by Yahoo News.
Escalona has five children, all of whom are in the care of her mother Ofelia Escalona.
