WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS: Waxahachie man Jose Sierra, 38, has been sentenced to life in prison for the fatal beating of his infant daughter nearly two years ago. The sentence was announced by Ellis County and District Attorney Ann Montgomery.
On December 28, 2021, Sierra approached the Ellis County Jail, seeking assistance from two maintenance workers and informing them that his baby was unresponsive.
Upon the workers' immediate call to 911, an ambulance arrived within a minute.
How old was Jose Sierra’s daughter?
According to CBS News, Jose Sierra’s infant daughter Valeria Sierra was only 7 months old. Despite the paramedics' efforts to revive her, she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at a local hospital.
Suspicion turned toward Valeria's father as she had "several bruises on her body and multiple broken bones in various stages of healing," as disclosed by Montgomery.
Subsequent to an autopsy, it was revealed that Valeria had sustained two broken clavicles, a fracture to her left femur, fractures to her left proximal tibia, and a refracture to a healing break of her left distal fibula.
Additionally, she had multiple bruises and hemorrhages on her head, face, neck, chin, shoulder, torso, right hand, and left leg.
Despite extensive life-saving efforts during transit, paramedics were unable to establish a cardiac rhythm, resulting in the tragic demise of the child.
What did Jose Sierra do after the incident?
As per a statement released by the Ellis County District Attorney’s Office, on December 28, 2021, Sierra informed maintenance workers outside the Ellis County Jail about his daughter.
Paramedics who arrived after the 911 call described the child, identified as Valeria, as "unresponsive, limp, and cold to the touch," as mentioned in the release.
Sierra's shifting narrative
In Sierra's initial statements to the police, he attempted to shift blame onto the child's mother, the child's pediatrician, Valeria's nieces and nephews, and even Valeria herself, prosecutors said.
However, investigators noted that Sierra's explanations were contradicted by medical evidence. The severity of Valencia's injuries indicated a level of force greater than any of Sierra's narratives could account for.
The child was swiftly transported to Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in Waxahachie via ambulance.
Upon examining the infant, emergency room personnel at the Valencia Regional Hospital became immediately suspicious of her condition.
Valencia displayed signs of extensive bruising across her body and had multiple broken bones at various stages of healing—a clear indication of persistent physical abuse.
Dr Chester Gwin, a forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy, conveyed to authorities that Valeria's body had reached a point where it "could no longer fight and heal from these injuries."
