10-year-old Anthony Ávalos’ mother and her boyfriend go on trial for his torture and murder

• On Wednesday, January 25, Anthony Avalos’ mother’s murder trial began.
• The trial takes place in Los Angeles, California.
• She and her boyfriend are accused of torturing the little boy.

In 2018, the horrifying news of 10-year-old Anthony Ávalos’ murder made headlines. He was allegedly tortured and killed by his mother and her boyfriend. Heather Barrón and Kareem Ernesto Leiva went to trial on Wednesday, January 26.

The couple, who are accused of torturing and killing the 10-year-old boy, are being tried in Los Angeles. The prosecution explained what Barrón and Leiva did to Anthony that resulted in his death.

Who was Anthony Avalos?

Anthony Avalos was a child who stood out for being the fastest runner in his class, as well as being unusually mature for his age, according to The Los Angeles Times. However, his teacher noticed unusual behaviors, such as nervousness and even crying while he was holding his bible.

Ávalos was admitted to the hospital with a brain hemorrhage. His body showed clear signs of prolonged abuse from head to toe, shocking one of the doctors who treated him.

What happened after he was admitted to the hospital?

Doctors discovered bruises on his skin, as well as burns that ran from head to toe. Anthony Ávalos died on June 21, 2018, after being admitted to the hospital after an alleged fall. However, the authorities began an investigation.

His mother, Heather Barrón, and her boyfriend, Kareem Ernesto Leiva, were arrested on suspicion of torturing the child to death. At least 13 calls were made to a child abuse hotline by teachers, counselors, police officers and relatives, but Anthony received no help.

The trial against Anthony Ávalos’ mother and her  boyfriend begins

On Wednesday, January 25, in Los Angeles, California, the trial against the pair accused of Anhony Ávalos’ murder began. Superior Court judge Sam Ohta has been assigned to hear the child abuse case after both defendants waived their right to a jury trial.

According to ABC 7,  the prosecutors explained how Barrón and Leiva tortured the child. They stated that he was beaten and denied food and water to the point of being severely dehydrated and his kidneys stopped working. They stated this abuse was due to the fact that the couple believed that Anthony was homosexual.

The prosecution is not asking for the death penalty

Once the trial resumed on Thursday, more details were revealed by the prosecution and they have ruled out requesting the death penalty for Heather Barrón and Kareem Ernesto Leiva, according to Univision. Los Angeles prosecutor, George Gascón, did not consider it appropriate in this case.

Leiva’s defense asked that he not be accused of killing the child, however the prosecution pointed out that both parties were responsible for the death of Anthony Ávalos. At the moment, no further information has been available about the trial.