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BROWNSVILLE — A jury on Tuesday afternoon found a Willacy County man guilty of the lesser charge of criminal negligent homicide rather than murder after a week of trial over the 2021 death of a Sebastian teenager.
The jury began deliberations on Monday night on the fate of Ruben Gonzalez Cordoba, 39, over the Jan. 23, 2021 death of 13-year-old Jesse Harrison Jr.
Prosecutors had alleged that Harrison died from child abuse, including starvation. Gonzalez Cordoba’s attorney, Nat Perez, however, raised questions about Harrison’s sickly look — sunken eyes and a skeletal appearance — was due to the fact that the child had a coronavirus infection and sepsis in the days before his death.
The jury also found Gonzalez Cordoba guilty of one count of injury to a child. The jury found him not guilty on the remaining counts levied against him.
Harrison’s mother, Sabrina Loredo, 33, and grandmother, Antonio Villarreal Gonzalez, 56, are also charged with murder and several counts of injury to a child in the case.
They have pleaded not guilty and their trial dates are scheduled for later this year.
Harrison was not their blood relative, but they had care and custody of the child, who was a special education student at Lyford Middle School.
The jury began sentencing deliberations Tuesday afternoon, but were sent home. Deliberations continue Wednesday morning.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information.
Here’s the latest update:
Willacy County man sentenced to decades in prison for fatal child abuse case
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State, defense rest in trial of man accused in Sebastian teen’s death
Witness in Willacy County child abuse murder walks back statements to police
