HOUSTON (AP) - A Texas woman was sentenced to 80 years Tuesday for her felony murder conviction in the death of one of four children killed in a fire at her home day care in Houston.
Watch KFDM News at 6 for reaction.
Jessica Tata, 24, was convicted last week in connection with the death of 16-month-old Elias Castillo. Authorities say Elias was one of seven children whom Tata left unsupervised at her home while she went to a nearby Target store. Prosecutors say she left a pan of oil cooking atop a stovetop burner and that this ignited the February 2011 blaze. Three other children were seriously injured.
Along with the prison sentence, Tata was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. She will have to serve 30 years of her sentence before she is eligible for parole, prosecutor Steve Baldassano said.
"Nobody wins in this situation," said Patty Sparks, Elias' great-grandmother, after the sentence was announced. "My heart goes out to the Tata family and those precious mothers and fathers who lost their babies."
Tata could have received up to life in prison.
She still faces three more counts of felony murder in relation to the other children who died, and three counts of abandoning a child and two counts of reckless injury to a child in relation to three who were hurt. Baldassano said prosecutors planned to pursue trials on the remaining felony murder charges.
During the punishment phase of the trial, prosecutors argued Tata was an irresponsible day care owner who left the children she was caring for alone on multiple occasions and who ran an unclean facility. Tata's family and friends told jurors she was a good person who loved kids. They asked the jury for mercy.
Tata's attorneys argued she never intended to hurt the children, who ranged in age from 16 months to 3 years old, and that she tried to save them. But prosecutors did not need to show she intended to harm the children, only that the deaths occurred because she put them in danger by leaving them alone. Under Texas law, a person can be convicted of felony murder if he or she committed an underlying felony and that action led to the death.
"It's tough because the verdict doesn't undo things, but I think (the families of the victims) feel as if the jury listened to them and justice was done for their children," Baldassano said afterward.
One of the surviving children, Makayla Richardson, stood next to Baldassano as he spoke. She showed reporters scars the fire left on her right forearm.
Baldassano also offered sympathy for Tata's relatives, some of whom attended the trial.
"But on the other hand, she brought this on herself," Baldassano said. "She was being paid to watch these children. She knew better. She really can't blame anybody or anything."
Defense attorney Mike DeGeurin wasn't immediately available for comment.
Tata fled to Nigeria in the wake of the fire but was captured after about a month, returned to the U.S. in March 2011 and has remained jailed since. She was born in the U.S. but has Nigerian citizenship.
During Tata's trial, which began Oct. 24, surveillance video was presented that showed her shopping at Target just before the fire occurred. A former Target manager told jurors that Tata did not seem to be in a hurry after realizing she had left the stove top burner on while the kids were at the day care.
Neighbors testified that they heard the children crying during their unsuccessful attempts to rescue them from the blaze. Parents of the children who died or were injured told jurors they had trusted Tata, believing she was qualified.
Defense attorneys presented expert testimony to argue that faulty kitchen equipment may have sparked the fire.
JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated Press
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Daycare operator gets 80 years for deadly fireRelated Stories
- More Texas News
- National News
- International News
- Winning numbers drawn in Powerball jackpot
- Last-minute fortune seekers buy Powerball tickets
- 4 tornadoes counted from Thursday thunderstorm
- Uranium developer to close NM offices
- Funeral-goers describe Texas swindler as loving
- Dallas man shot to death on front porch of home
- Police arrest Dallas man after shootout kills 1
- Texas judge denies women's request for attorneys
- Texas Tech won't raise tuition, fees for 2013-14
- Baylor University to build $13.6M track stadium
- 1 of 2 fires north of LA contained
- Police call fatal NYC shooting a hate crime
- Last-minute fortune seekers buy Powerball tickets
- 2 fires north of LA persist after long fire week
- Federal report documents inmate sex abuse in US
- Landing gear issue leads to plane's belly landing
- Official: Broken rail eyed in Conn. train crash
- Alaska volcano shoots lava up hundreds of feet
- Funeral held for mom, son found dead in home
- Obama takes Cabinet secretaries out to play golf
- Dissident ex-general released in Venezuela
- 20 flights without bags after Egypt airport strike
- Member of Pakistani cricket star's party killed
- Suspected US drone in Yemen kills 4 militants
- French president signs gay marriage into law
- Attacks kill 16 in Iraq; 8 police kidnapped
- Russia's Karjakin wins Norway chess tournament
- Blasts rock Libya's capital and eastern city
- Syria's Assad says he won't step down
- Plane catches fire landing in Moscow; no injuries
Automotive
Find valuable information about buying your next car, including price quotes and your latest automotive news.
Wedding Central
The greatest Southeast Texas story ever told. Share your wedding and engagement news!
Lost and Found Pets
These are pets that have been lost or found in the KFDM News Channel 6 viewing area.
No Text Zone
Texting While Driving Kills Thousands of People Each Year. Many More are Seriously Injured. You Can Help Make Our Roads a NO TEXT ZONE
Texas Lottery
Texas Lottery
Community Calendar
Check out our Community Calendar!
Baby Talk
Baby Talk with Nicole Murray.
KFDM Channel 6 Top Stories
Business News
Gauge of US economy's future health up in April
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A measure of the U.S. economy's future health rose in solidly in April, buoyed by a sharp rise in applications to build new homes and apartments.
Consumer News
BC-US--Dow Record-Three Personal Stories, 1st Ld-Writethru,1173
Dow Record: Three tales of ups, downs and changes
AP Photo FX102, FX103
Eds: With BC-US--Dow Record. Adds photos.
By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- When the Dow first crossed 14,000, investors were overjoyed. ...
Entertainment News
Get This
ON THIN ICE?
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- He was already on thin ice with the law when he failed to meet the conditions of his probation.
Science/Tech News
IN THE NEWS: LABOR GROUP SAYS CONDITIONS AT APPLE PLANTS IMPROVING
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A labor group Apple joined to assess working conditions at three manufacturing plants in China, where its products are made, says conditions are getting better.
