Mother sentenced to 20 years for torture and abuse of her children in Santiago
A collegiate tribunal in Santiago found a woman guilty of torture and physical and psychological abuse against her children aged 2 and 5 years. The sentence sends her to the Rafey Women's Correctional Centre.
Woman receives 20 years in prison for torture of minor children in Santiago de los Caballeros
The Fourth Collegiate Tribunal of Santiago sentenced a woman to 20 years in prison after she was found guilty of torture, barbarism and physical and psychological abuse against her children aged 2 and 5, according to elcaribe.com.do. Judges Rubén Darío Cruz Uceta, Rubén Rodríguez and Yasmín de los Santos delivered the guilty verdict after accepting evidence presented by prosecutor Jenniffer Rodríguez.
The name of the convicted woman is withheld to protect the identity of the minor victims. The sentence requires her to serve the custodial sentence at the Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre (CCR) of Rafey Women's, in the province of Santiago.
Facts dating from 2023
The incidents occurred in a neighbourhood in the north of the municipality of Santiago de los Caballeros and date back to 2023. During that period, the now-convicted woman sent text messages to her ex-partner threatening to take the life of their daughter in common, who was then 2 years old.
Along with those messages, the woman sent recordings in which she is seen brutally beating the child on the head, face and various parts of the body, as well as attempting to suffocate her with her own hands. Additionally, she burnt one of the girl's legs with a match, an act she carried out in the presence of her other child, aged 5.
Evidence gathered by two prosecutors' offices
Investigating prosecutor Leomaris Payamps, from the Comprehensive Care Unit for Victims of Gender-Based Violence, Domestic Violence and Sexual Crimes, gathered the evidence that made it possible to demonstrate the profile of the perpetrator, her unlawful conduct and the crimes committed against the victims.
The judges analysed material, documentary, testimonial and expert evidence before accepting the request from the Santiago Prosecutors' Office.
Legal framework applied
The tribunal based the conviction on the violation of articles 309-2, 303-3 and 303-4, paragraphs 1 and 4, of the Dominican Penal Code, as amended by Law 24-97 on Gender-Based Violence. It also applied articles 396 (A and B) and 397 of Law 136-03, which creates the Code for the System of Protection and Fundamental Rights of Children and Adolescents, a regulation that penalises domestic violence, acts of torture and barbarism, and physical and psychological abuse against minors.
Source: Google News CL — Santiago