Couple who tortured and killed 10-year-old California boy sentenced to life in prison
A Southern California mother and her boyfriend have been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for murdering her 10-year-old son by torture.
Heather Maxine Barron, 33, and Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 37, were convicted in March of the 2018 murder of Anthony Avalos, but were sentenced on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
DailyMail.com previously reported that Avalos, 10, had come out as gay to his relatives who later starved and beat him for nearly a full week before his death.
At their home in the Mojave Desert, Barron reportedly forced her other children to participate in the abuse, which included beating the boy on the floor, beating him with a belt, pouring hot sauce into his mouth and forbidding him to use the bathroom .
Former LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey had initially called for the death penalty, but the current District Attorney’s office, George Gascón, decided not to do so.
“These two are monsters and monsters belong in cages. Please don’t give them the chance to hurt anyone else,” said a speaker during the victim impact portion of the hearing.
Anthony Avalos, 10, was tortured and killed in 2018 by his mother and her boyfriend
Heather Maxine Barron, 33, and Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 37, were convicted in March of the 2018 murder of Anthony Avalos, but were sentenced on Tuesday in Los Angeles
Prosecutors argued at trial that the 10-year-old boy was tortured for at least five days before becoming unresponsive on June 20, 2018.
He later died in hospital and the coroner reported his cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head.
“At one point, Anthony was unable to walk, lay unconscious on the floor of his bedroom for hours, received no medical attention, and was unable to eat on his own,” Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami wrote in 2018.
Hatami said in 2018 that Avalos’ heart had stopped and he suffered a traumatic brain injury and a brain hemorrhage.
The young boy also had red eyes and numerous bruises, cuts and abrasions on his forehead, nose, mouth, cheek, neck, legs, shoulder, hips, back, buttocks, abdomen, ankles, legs and foot.
Barron had tried to tell officials that Avalos had fallen down the stairs.
County child welfare officials had received a dozen referrals of suspected child abuse about the boy from 2013 to 2016. Anthony had been evicted from his home for several months when some reports of abuse were substantiated.
At the sentencing hearing Tuesday, the judge explained his views on the life sentences.
“Anthony was a helpless child who depended (on the defendants)… for his basic physical needs and emotional support. Instead, Anthony was tortured and killed,” Ohta said.
Prosecutors argued at trial that the 10-year-old boy was tortured for at least five days before becoming unresponsive on June 20, 2018.
“At one point, Anthony was unable to walk, lay unconscious on his bedroom floor for hours, received no medical attention, and was unable to feed himself,” an official said in 2018.
Barron had tried to tell officials that Avalos had fallen down the stairs
“Anthony was a helpless child who depended (on the defendants)… for his basic physical needs and emotional support. Instead, Anthony was tortured and killed,” Judge Sam Ohta said
In court, Anthony’s loved ones gave statements for over an hour, each holding back tears as they begged Judge Sam Ohta to “the maximum penalty allowed.”
“Because of her actions, I can no longer claim her as my family. In my mind she’s dead to me,” said Dana B., Anthony’s cousin.
‘You tortured your children, you abandoned your children. And our family is broken because of you,” said Maria Barron, Heather’s sister.
“I miss my cousin Anthony,” said a young boy reading a written statement.
“Heather is an evil monster,” said the child. She deserves to spend the rest of her life in prison. I don’t forgive Heather for taking my cousin’s life. I hope she gets beaten up in jail because I just wanted to meet Anthony.”
Several speakers called Barron a “monster,” including Maria who said she was disgusted by how her sister could bond unspeakable deeds against a child.
“Heather, you took away his dreams and hopes. You should have been his protector,’ Maria said, looking at her sister.
Last month, relatives who attended the reading of the verdict criticized DA Gascón for not pursuing the death penalty, which they insisted on.
Gascón called the death penalty in 2021 “in any case never an appropriate solution” and they received the harshest possible sentence for first-degree murder and torture.
In court, Anthony’s loved ones gave statements for more than an hour, each holding back tears as they begged Judge Sam Ohta to give “the maximum sentence allowed”
“I miss my cousin Anthony,” said a young boy reading a written statement
Former LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey (left) initially demanded the death penalty, but current District Attorney George Gascón (right) decided against it
“You tortured your children, you abandoned your children. And our family is broken because of you,” said Maria Barron, Heather’s sister. In the photo: Maria with Avalos
After the boy’s death, authorities removed the eight other children from the home.
Anthony’s half-sister, Destiny, burst into tears Tuesday when asked to speak at the sentencing hearing.
“Kareem, you came into our lives and ruined everything,” she wrote.
Some of her words had to be read aloud by Hatami after she was overcome with emotion.
“He did not protect us and participated in the torture. You’re both monsters to me,” Destiny wrote.