A Texas step-mom has been convicted of abusing her stepdaughter after the girl suffered years of psychological and physical abuse.
KWTX reported that after almost six years of abusing her stepdaughter, on Wednesday the jurors in Waco’s 19th State District Court found Marisela Garcia, 47, guilty. The decision came after only 15 minutes of deliberation and they recommended that Judge Thomas West sentence Garcia to the maximum sentence.
The court records identify the child using the initials K.V.
From the ages of approximately 6 to 12, Garcia encouraged K.V. to kill herself, had her living in deplorable conditions in a backyard shed, beat her regularly and fed her from a garbage can. The abuse seriously disturbed even the most experienced childcare professionals as well as officers.
Dr. Whitney Crowson, a licensed clinical psychologist from Houston said, “The torture, the abuse that K.V. has gone through has become a part of her.” Dr. Crowson testified that in her career this was one of the worst cases of abuse she has come across, according to KXXV.
After Garcia’s conviction, K.V. gave an emotional impact statement to a courtroom full of people KWTX reported.
“You always told me no one would believe a little girl, but they did and still do,” she said. “I hope while you are in jail you repent what you did to me. This marks the new beginning in my life and now you have to live with it the rest of your life.”
District Attorney Josh Tetens said, “Our team is grateful to be among the dedicated professionals who stood between a truly evil perpetrator and this courageous child.
That group of professionals includes teachers, counselors, law enforcement officers, doctors, nurses, prosecutors, and victim advocates.
To any child who is secretly suffering, these heroes are waiting to listen, and to protect.”
K.V.’s father, Juan Velasquez, 33, has been charged with two counts of injury to a child for allowing Garcia to abuse his daughter. Count 1 could place him in prison for up to 20 years and Count 2 could render up to 10 years in prison. Both counts are felonies according to KWTX.
[Feature Photo: Maricella Garcia/Instagram via KWTX]
