Stepmom who starved four-year-old boy to death and recorded him sobbing and begging for bread is stone-faced as she is sentenced to 25 years in prison for evil abuse – after breastfeeding new baby during trial
A Texas stepmother who starved a four-year-old boy and filmed him sobbing and begging for bread the morning of his death has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Miranda Casarez, 25, remained stone-faced and denied any responsibility for Benjamin Cervera’s death even as her sentence was handed down.
Her lawyers pleaded for leniency at sentencing, stressing that Casarez still has a three-month-old child whom she breastfed during the trial.
Benjamin, meanwhile, weighed just 28 pounds when he died in agony on August 17, 2021.
The cruel stepmother had forced him to drink urine, hand sanitizer and hot sauce before he finally died just a month before his fifth birthday.
Texas stepmother Miranda Casarez has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for starving her stepson
She filmed Benjamin Cervera begging for bread the morning he starved to death in harrowing footage for the jury
The youngster weighed just 28 pounds at the time of his death on August 17, 2021. His father Brandon Lee Cervera has also been charged in connection with his death
Cervera, 28, (pictured) faces charges of injury to a child with intent to cause grievous bodily harm when he goes on trial next month
“I hope instead of laughing you hear my son’s cries,” Amy Flores Zepeda said on behalf of her sister, Benji’s birth mother. San Antonio Express News reported.
Casarez was convicted on a charge of injury to a child with serious bodily injury. His father Brandon Cervera Sr is also awaiting trial next month.
On the first day of evidence, the court was shown harrowing images of Benjamin crying and begging for food.
The video shows a tearful Benjamin in the backseat of a car pleading, “I want bread.”
Just hours later he was rushed to hospital and died of what was believed to be starvation.
Jurors also heard how Casarez sent text messages to her mother about deliberately withholding food from the boy, Law and Crime reported.
Prosecutors said a desperate Benjamin would often try to sneak out of his room to get food, but Casarez put locks on the pantries.
Casarez begged for mercy at her sentencing, blaming the boy’s father for the abuse.
Benjamin’s stepmother forced him to drink urine, hand sanitizer, and hot sauce before he finally died just a month before his fifth birthday
During the trial, Casarez cried when she was confronted with images of Benjamin’s emaciated body in the hospital
Jurors heard how she placed locks on the pantry to prevent Benjamin from sneaking food at night
Casarez denied any responsibility for the child’s death and blamed his father
She claimed to have loved Benjamin and used as proof a memorial tattoo she received of his birth and death.
“He looked like one of my children,” Casarez said under questioning.
During the trial, Casarez even cried when she was shown photos of the youngster in the hospital.
But jurors saw through her facade and took just under an hour to unanimously convict her.
Before his death, concerns had been raised about Benji’s health, but despite involvement with child protection services and a hospital visit, he remained in contact with his stepmother.
The youngster died at San Antonio Children’s Hospital just minutes after his father took him to the facility, unconscious and in a “condition consistent with abuse.”
Medics try in vain to resuscitate him upon arrival. They raised the alarm after noticing bruises on his body.
Casarez’s attorneys pushed for her to get 10 years or less so she could apply for probation, but this was denied.
The 25-year-old, along with her lawyer, pleaded for leniency at the sentencing, noting that she has a three-month-old baby that she has breastfed all the time.
But jurors saw through her facade and took just under an hour to unanimously convict her. In the photo: Benjamin’s bedroom
Benjamin died at San Antonio Children’s Hospital (pictured) just minutes after Cervera brought him to the facility, unconscious and in a ‘condition indicative of abuse’
Prosecutor Michael Villarea pointed out that Casarez had continuously painted himself
“She would have to think about Benji every day for the rest of her life,” prosecutor Michael Villarea said.
He pointed out that Casarez had complained to 911 that he couldn’t sleep the night before Benjamin died.
“She believes she is the victim of Benji’s death and not the perpetrator,” he told the court.
“Death by starvation is horrific and unconscionable,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales added.
“This case paints a grim picture of neglect and abuse and highlights the urgency for justice for the children affected.”
Casarez’s attorney, Anthony Callard, said his client plans to appeal the sentence.
“I don’t think they even looked at the evidence,” he said of the jury. “They had to blame someone, and they blamed my client.”
Benjamin’s 28-year-old father has also been charged with injury to a child with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after investigators discovered “alarming evidence” that he abused his son.