(FORT BEND COUNTY) - A 36-year-old Sugar Land woman has been sentenced to 50 years in prison following the death of her 12-year-old daughter who developed sepsis from untreated third-degree burns.
Khierra Sada Walker pleaded guilty to Injury to a Child by Omission causing Serious Bodily Injury and elected to have her punishment assessed by the court. By waiving her right to a jury trial and entering a plea of guilty, Walker was eligible to ask the court for deferred adjudication, which is a form of probation.
Walker’s criminal conduct came to the attention of authorities when law enforcement and emergency personnel were contacted regarding a twelve-year-old child that was non-responsive. Detective Jeffrey Brownson with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office observed the child to have numerous severe burns on her body that clearly required medical attention. During the investigation, law enforcement learned that Walker was the mother of the child. She claimed that she had been attempting to treat the child’s burns for several days with various home remedies and over-the-counter items. Tragically, the child died.
Fort Bend County’s Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Stephen Pustilnik, conducted an autopsy of the child and testified at the punishment hearing. Pustilnik indicated the child suffered from third-degree burns on various parts of her body. Pustilnik testified that the child developed sepsis as a result of the injuries and had the child received appropriate medical treatment, she would have survived. Pustilnik stated the child would have been in extreme pain that would have escalated as her sepsis progressed.
“The details of this case are appalling,” said lead prosecutor Melissa Muñoz. “A child should be able to rely on their mother, and Khierra Walker failed her child. Children deserve to be loved and cared for, not treated like they are disposable. This child had injuries that clearly required immediate medical attention. We will not sit by and tolerate parents and caregivers who have so little regard for the life of a child.”
“The defendant’s actions were inhumane and merciless,” said District Attorney Brian Middleton. “The severe punishment imposed upon the defendant was a just punishment, but imprisonment pales in comparison to the pain that the victim had to endure. Our community must stand against child abuse and report any signs of abuse to authorities immediately. Early intervention is vital to saving lives.”
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