A 30-year-old woman who was convicted in November of repeatedly abusing the children in her care was sentenced Thursday to up to 16 years in prison.
Esperanza Espinoza was convicted for the ongoing abuse of the six kids, who ranged in age from 1 to 10 when the abuse began.
Canyon County Deputy Prosecutor Erica Kallin said it was one of the most horrific child abuse cases she’s seen in her time as a prosecutor, calling it a torture case. Espinoza threw the children by their hair, stepped on them, kicked them, hit them, bit them and attempted to strangle them, Kallin said.
The children are now in foster care, but Kallin said they report feeling numb and angry, and have difficulty trusting people.
She will not be eligible for parole until she serves at least 11 years.
The defendant told the judge that she accepted the jury’s verdict and apologized for her actions.
“I want to apologize to the kids for failing them and hurting them in any kind of way,” Espinoza said.
Defense attorney Lary Sisson told the court that his client did provide the children with some positive moments and does love them. She took them to school and the doctor, and provided them with a home while their mother was away, he said.
“Not every single moment for these children was terrible,” Sisson said. “There was some good that she did.”
Canyon County woman will serve up to 16 years in ‘horrific’ child torture case
The suspect is accused of stepping on the children, throwing them, kicking them, hitting them, biting them and attempting to strangle them. She could spend the next 16 years in prison for eight charges.
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