SAN ANTONIO -- A jury in deliberation for several hours Friday decided the fate of a San Antonio woman accused in the death of a 22-month-old girl in her care.
Jurors went behind closed doors at noon Friday to consider the case against Sarah Sifuentes, 33, who was guardian to Cyleste Gonzales.
Sifuentes and her husband took in Cyleste and her 4-year-old brother. The two children's parents were in prison at the time. Sifuentes also has four children of her own.
Prosecutors said Cyleste Gonzales died because Sifuentes failed to get her medical attention.
The child was rushed to Methodist Children's Hospital in October 2009 after suffering blunt-force trauma to the stomach, prosecutors said.
Police said the toddler had bruising all over her body, and her arm was broken.
"We thought she was a nice friend," said Cyleste's dad, Juan Gonzales. "We trusted her and, I mean, obviously..."
Investigators said they were never able to determine who actually inflicted the deadly injuries.
At 7 p.m. Friday the jury delivered their verdict, and Sarah Sifuentes was convicted of injury to a child, serious bodily injury by omission. Sentencing is scheduled to begin Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.
"We are not going to get our daughter back, and we know that and I just think that she needs to do a lot of time," said Cyleste's mom. "We'd want her to get life."
Sifuentes' husband is awaiting trial on similar charges.
