The Dallas mother who confessed to gluing her toddler to the wall then beating her as potty training punishment was in court Tuesday for a second day of testimony in her sentencing hearing.
Prosecutors were seeking 45 years in prison for 23-year-old Elizabeth Escalona but she could spend the rest of her life in prison on the felony injury to a child conviction, the Dallas Morning News reported.
The grandmother of the girl, Ofelia Escalona, was expected to testify Tuesday against her daughter.
Doctors say the torture that the 2-year-old endured at the hands of her mom put her in a coma for several days. The doctor who saved the toddler's life testified on Monday why her mom should spend the rest of her life behind bars.
"The entire picture was very shocking. I see a lot of children. This was one of the worst, shocking cases that I've seen," said Dr. Amy Barton, a former pediatrician at Children’s Medical Center.
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Barton fought back tears while testifying. It's been more than a year since she first saw 2-year-old Joselyn Cedillo in intensive care. She says the toddler was brought into the emergency room on September 7, 2011 with extensive bruising. The little girl was clinging to life.
"The child was brought in by a private vehicle with extensive trauma. It looked like the child had been abused and wasn't sure the child was going to make it. She had bruising on her belly," said Barton.
Barton also showed pictures of the little girl's injuries during the sentencing hearing.
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Police say Escalona was so mad that her daughter soiled her pants that, as punishment, she super glued the girl’s hands to the wall then beat her in front of her other siblings.
Escalona’s kids told investigators their mother kicked the girl in the stomach and repeatedly hit her.
The girl did recover after the beating in September 2011, and the state took custody of her and Escalona’s other kids.
Escalona did plead guilty to first-degree injury to a child over the potty training punishment. The judge could sentence Escalona to from five years to life in prison.
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