Miranda Cásarez, seen in the courtroom, was sentenced in the starvation death of her stepson, Benjamin “Benji” Cervera Jr., inset. (Courtroom and victim screenshots from KSAT 12/YouTube)
A Texas mother was sentenced to 25 years in prison for deliberately starving to death her 4-year-old stepson, who’d been forced to drink urine, hand sanitizer and hot sauce and was found unresponsive and weighing 28 pounds.
Miranda Cásarez learned her fate on Thursday in the Aug. 17, 2021, death of her stepson, Benjamin “Benji” Cervera Jr. She was convicted on charges of injury to a child with serious bodily injury. The boy’s father, Brandon Cervera Sr., also faces charges in the case and awaits trial.
“I hope instead of laughter you hear my son’s cries,” Amy Flores Zepeda said on behalf of her sister, Benji’s biological mother, The San Antonio Express-News reported.
Prosecutor Michael Villareal accused her of starving the boy and forcing him to drink urine, hand sanitizer and hot sauce, the Express-News reported.
Prosecutors presented evidence such as text messages they said were between her and her mother, showing she talked about deliberately withholding food from the boy. Prosecutors said she placed locks on the pantry and had cellphone video depicting abuse and the denial of nourishment.
“She should have to think about Benji every day of the rest of her life,” said Prosecutor Michael Villareal, Texas Public Radio reported.
Cásarez denied hurting her stepson, said his father put the locks on the pantry and fridge, and he controlled her, the newspaper reported. She said she loved the boy and even got a tattoo of his name and his date of birth and death after he died.
“He was like one of my kids,” Casarez said when her lawyer asked why she wanted to remember her stepson that way, the Express-News reported.
Her attorney, Anthony Cantrell, planned to appeal. He had argued for probation, saying she loved children and had a difficult upbringing and volatile relationships.
“I don’t think they even looked at the evidence,” he said about the jury, the radio station reported. “They had to blame someone, and they blamed my client.”
Benjamin was found nonresponsive, and he died on Aug. 17, 2021, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. An autopsy revealed alarming signs of starvation, officials said.
Concerns had been raised about his health earlier, but despite involvement by Child Protective Services (CPS) and a hospital visit, he was cleared, prosecutors said.
“Death by starvation is horrible and unconscionable,” Bexar County Criminal District Attorney Joe Gonzales said in the statement. “This case paints a grim picture of neglect and abuse and highlights the urgency of justice for victimized children.”
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