…By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media.
Boy Tortured and Murdered by Mother and Her Boyfriend After Coming Out as Gay
A 10-year-old boy named Anthony Avalos was cruelly beaten and starved to death by his mother, Heather Maxine Barron, 33, and her boyfriend, Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 37, after he came out as gay.
The boy was left unconscious on his bedroom floor for hours with no medical attention while his siblings were instructed to watch him.
The innocent child died due to blunt-force trauma to the head, and the coroner reports that he was starved.
The couple falsely claimed that the boy had fallen down the stairs.
On Tuesday, they were charged with torture and first-degree murder without the chance of parole.
Statements of Love and Loss
Anthony’s family members gave statements during the sentencing on Tuesday, pleading for a strict sentence to be handed down to the guilty parties.
One of the cousins, Dana B, broke down in tears while giving her statement, saying, “Because of her actions, I can no longer claim her as my family.
In my mind, she is dead to me.”
One of Anthony’s young cousins said in a written statement that they missed him and expressed their love for him.
They also stated that Barron was an “evil monster” who should spend the rest of her life in prison.
Several of Anthony’s family members labelled Barron as a monster, including her own sister, Maria Barron, who told the court, “You tortured your kids, you failed your kids.
And because of you, our family is broken.”
Severe Punishment for the Heinous Crime
During the sentencing, Judge Sam Ohta emphasized that Anthony was a helpless child who was dependent on the defendants for his basic physical needs and emotional support.
He added that instead, the boy was tortured and killed.
Although the District Attorney initially pushed for the death penalty, the current District Attorney’s office rejected the proposal.
It is estimated that Barron and Leiva could face up to 22 years to life in state prison, while Leiva may face up to 32 years to life.
The boy’s death sparked outrage and led to the removal of his eight siblings from the home, where they were cared for by county child welfare workers.