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 impassive and denied any responsibility for Benjamín Cervera’s death even as his punishment was handed down.
His lawyers asked for leniency in the sentencing and emphasized that Casarez has another three-month-old son whom he breastfed during the trial.
Meanwhile, Benjamin 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 his eventual death, just a month before his fifth birthday.
Texas stepmother Miranda Casarez was sentenced to 25 years in prison for starving her stepson.
He filmed Benjamín Cervera asking for bread the morning he died of hunger in heartbreaking images that were shown to the jury.
The young man weighed only 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 a charge of injury to a child with intent to cause serious bodily injury when he goes to trial next month.
‘I hope that instead of laughter you hear my son’s cries,’ said Amy Flores Zepeda on behalf of her sister, Benji’s biological mother, The San Antonio Express-News reported.
Casarez was found guilty of serious bodily injury to a child. His father, Brandon Cervera Sr, is also awaiting trial next month.
On the first day of the trial, the court was shown heartbreaking footage of Benjamin crying and begging for food.
The video shows Benjamin crying in the back seat of a car pleading “I want bread.”
Just hours later, he was rushed to the hospital and died of what was considered starvation.
Jurors also heard how Casarez sent text messages to his mother about deliberately denying the boy food, Law and Crime reports.
Prosecutors said Benjamín, desperate, often tried to sneak out of his room to eat, but Casarez put locks on the pantries.
Casarez asked for leniency at his sentencing and blamed the boy’s father for the abuse.
Benjamin’s stepmother forced him to drink urine, hand sanitizer, and hot sauce before his eventual death, just a month before his fifth birthday.
During the trial, Casarez cried when confronted with images of Benjamín’s emaciated body in the hospital.
Jurors heard how he put padlocks on the pantry to prevent Benjamin from stealing food at night.
Casarez denied any responsibility for the boy’s death and blamed his father.
She claimed to have loved Benjamin and used a memorial tattoo she got of his birth and death as proof.
“He was like one of my sons,” Casarez said when questioned.
During the trial, Casarez even cried when presented with photographs of the young man in the hospital.
But jurors saw through her facade and took just under an hour to unanimously convict her.
Concerns had been raised about Benji’s health before his death, but despite his involvement with Child Protective Services and a hospital visit, he remained in contact with his stepmother.
The young man died at the San Antonio Children’s Hospital a few minutes after his father took him to the center, unconscious and in “a state that indicated abuse.”
Doctors struggle unsuccessfully to resuscitate him upon arrival. They raised the alarm when they noticed bruises on his body.
Casarez’s lawyers pushed for him to receive ten years or less, which would allow him to apply for parole, but this was denied.
The 25-year-old girl asked her lawyer for leniency in the sentencing and pointed out that she has a three-month-old baby whom she breastfed throughout the process.
But jurors saw through her facade and took just under an hour to unanimously convict her. Pictured: Benjamin’s bedroom area.
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 continually painted himself
“He should have to think about Benji every day for the rest of his life,” prosecutor Michael Villarea said.
He noted that Casarez had complained to 911 operators about not being able to sleep the night before Benjamín died.
“She believes she is a victim of Benji’s death and not the perpetrator,” he told the court.
“Death by starvation is horrific and unconscionable,” added Bexar County Criminal Prosecutor Joe Gonzales.
“This case paints a grim picture of neglect and abuse and highlights the urgency of justice for victimized children.”
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 father, 28, has also been charged with one count of injury to a child with intent to cause serious bodily injury after investigators discovered “alarming evidence” that he was abusing his son.