From Law & Crime · · 2m
Babysitter avoids life sentence after smothering 9-month-old
Texas babysitter gets 30-year prison term for smothering infant with pillow.
In brief
Texas babysitter gets 30-year prison term for smothering infant with pillow. Dulce Gomez, 59, avoided life sentence after pleading guilty to murder of 9-month-old Fabian Arjon in November 2024. Originally reported by Law & Crime.
Babysitter sentenced to prison
A 59-year-old babysitter in Texas has been sentenced to prison for smothering a 9-month-old in her care with a pillow nearly two years ago.
Judge imposes 30-year sentence
Tarrant County Judge Julie Lugo sentenced Dulce Gomez to 30 years in a state correctional facility in connection with the death of Fabian Arjon.
Plea deal with prosecutors
Gomez struck a plea deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of murder after initially facing one count of capital murder of a person under 10 years old.
Parole eligibility after 15 years
Gomez must serve at least 15 years of her sentence before she is eligible for parole, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Emergency response to infant death
Officers with the Fort Worth Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded on Nov. 4, 2024, to a home on West Vista Circle for a report of an unresponsive infant.
Infant transported to hospital
Paramedics transported the baby to Cook Children's Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Medical examiner confirms homicide
The medical examiner determined that Fabian's manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was suffocation.
No motive or relationship revealed
Authorities have not provided a motive for the killing or explained Gomez's relationship to Fabian and his family.
Immigration status questioned
During Monday's sentencing hearing, Lugo questioned Gomez about the plea agreement and her immigration status.
Gomez not a U.S. citizen
Gomez reportedly acknowledged that she is not a U.S. citizen and confirmed that she understood she could be deported as a result of her conviction.
Capital murder would have meant life without parole
If Gomez had been convicted on the capital murder charge, she would have faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the chance for parole.
DA's office statement
The DA's office thanked the Fort Worth Police Department for their work on the case and for their commitment to keeping the community safe.
Consequence of sentence
Gomez will serve 30 years in prison before being eligible for parole, avoiding life sentence for the murder of a 9-month-old infant.
The essence
Dulce Gomez, 59, avoided life sentence after pleading guilty to murder of 9-month-old Fabian Arjon in November 2024.
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