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McAllen mother sentenced to life in prison for son’s death
Posted: 08.31.2012 at 6:47 PM
Brett Crandall

Brett is a reporter and weekend weather forecaster for Action 4 News.

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It was an emotional week for the family of Maria Almaguer - who will spend the rest of her life in prison.

On Thursday the jury found her guilty on counts of murder, manslaughter, injury to a child and injury to child by omission.

The jury sentenced her to life on each count as well as a $10,000 fine Friday afternoon.

Maria Alamaguer showed little emotion as the judge read the jury's verdict, but her children were in tears, knowing their mother would never come back home.

Almaguer was found guilty of kicking her two year old son, Isaias Ismael.

The injuries lead to his death in June 2008.

Julissa Dominguez, the 14-year-old daughter of Almaguer maintains her mother is innocent.

"My mom didn't do it.  She’s not a bad person,” Domiguez said. “She loved us, she loved him."

Dominguez says it’s been a rough four years for her and her siblings who have been split among different family members.

"Emotionally my brothers and sisters are a mess,” Domiguez said. “My family is a mess because my mom supported us and made us all happy and now she’s not here."

Before the jury left to discuss Almaguer's sentence, the prosecutor urged the jury to sentence Almaguer to life in prison.

"When you send her to prison for life you're not punishing them,” the prosecutor said pointing to Almaguer’s children. “She's the one who put them in that situation. She had been to prison before and chose to break the law again."

The defense asked the jury to sentence her to just 15 years for the children's sake.

"If you consider 15 years, it doesn't mean you have forgotten Isaias.  It means you considered the evidence which includes these children,” defense attorney Sergio Valdez said.

But in the end it was the prosecution whose advice the jury took.

Valdez says they are filing an appeal.

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