Samantha Dawn Mathis and Elijah Lebario Wiki – Samantha Dawn Mathis and Elijah Lebario Biography
A 29-year-old mother from Texas will spend the rest of her life in prison after admitting to brutally killing her 2-year-old son by beating him to death in a horrifying manner. Samantha Dawn Mathis was sentenced to life in prison by Hockley County District Court Judge J. Pat Phelan on Thursday after pleading guilty to one count of murder of a child under the age of ten in the 2020 slaying of toddler Elijah Lebario
.In addition to murder, Mathis pleaded guilty to one count of criminal child injury. Judge Phelan sentenced her to ten years in jail, to be served concurrently, that is, after her life term was completed. She will also have to pay a $10,000 fine. Mathis was originally charged with capital murder, but pleaded to a lesser charge as part of a plea bargain with prosecutors.
Samantha Dawn Mathis and Elijah Lebario Age
Samantha Dawn Mathis is 53 years old and Elijah Lebario was 2 years old.
Samantha Dawn Mathis and Elijah Lebario Incident Detail
Angela L. Overman, the 286th Judicial District Attorney, praised Thursday’s sentencing, saying it “underscores the gravity of these crimes and sends a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated.” “The successful resolutions in these cases serve as a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice by our legal team,” Overman’s office stated in a press release. ”
We thank the community for their unwavering support throughout these proceedings, and we will continue to do our duty in protecting the interests of our fellow citizens.” Robert Garza Jr., Mathis’ boyfriend at the time, was also arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with Elijah’s death. He has entered a not guilty plea and is awaiting trial.Officers from the Levelland Police Department responded to a call on Feb.
4, 2020, about an unresponsive toddler who had been taken to Levelland Covenant Hospital with suspicious injuries, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Authorities stated the boy, later identified as Elijah, was lifeless and covered in bruises from head to toe. Elijah’s internal temperature was also revealed to be 81 degrees, which is more than 15 degrees below average.
The child was reportedly in the hospital for less than three minutes when employees called authorities to report that his injuries were the result of a car accident. Elijah was taken to University Medical Center in Lubbock for more specialist treatment due to the severity of his condition. According to the Avalanche-Journal, he died as a result of his injuries in one of the operating rooms.
Investigators claimed they uncovered from further interviews with Mathis and other family members that both Mathis and Garza — who she had been dating for about six months — would regularly physically beat Elijah. “He had several indications of bruising all over his body,” according to an investigator, according to Lubbock ABC affiliate KAMC. “When we arrived on the scene, we just didn’t quite believe her story as far as what she was telling us and how this young baby had sustained all of these injuries.”
Mathis was apprehended shortly after Elijah died. Garza was apprehended without incident at a residence in the 400 block of North College Avenue by investigators.Both Mathis and Garza were charged with “knowingly” caused Elijah’s death by “striking him with a hand, foot, belt, or unknown object, or causing the boy to strike a floor, wall, toilet, tub sink, or unknown object, or shaking him,” according to the Avalanche-Journal.The capital murder trial for Garza is set to commence in February 2024.
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