Glued toddler's mom says children were a stress
DALLAS (AP) - A young Dallas mother of five who glued her toddler's hands to a wall during a beating testified Thursday that her children were a continuing source of stress in her life.
Elizabeth Escalona was in her second day of testimony during her sentencing hearing. The 23-year-old faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty in July to injury to a child. Prosecutors are seeking a 45-year sentence.
Under questioning from prosecutor Eren Price, Escalona acknowledged her children occasionally misbehaved and she sometimes "needed a little break."
Escalona admitted she smoked marijuana about twice a day before the September 2011 attack on Jocelyn Cedillo. She also admitted to using drugs and alcohol while out on bond after her arrest.
Escalona's other children told authorities their mother attacked Jocelyn because of potty training problems.
Police say Escalona kicked her daughter, Jocelyn Cedillo, in the stomach, beat her with a milk jug, then stuck her hands to an apartment wall using an adhesive commonly known as Super Glue. Escalona's other children told authorities their mother attacked Jocelyn because of potty training problems.
Jocelyn suffered bleeding in her brain, a fractured rib, multiple bruises and bite marks, and was in a coma for a couple of days. Some skin had been torn off her hands, where doctors also found glue residue and white paint chips from the apartment wall, witnesses testified.
Escalona also testified Thursday that she often doesn't tell the truth and that she lied to doctors and other experts assigned to her case. But she resisted a prosecutor's repeated efforts to label her a liar.
"I'm not a liar," Escalona said. "I have a hard time trusting people."
A day earlier, Escalona pleaded for leniency, saying she would never forgive herself what she did to her daughter and that she loved her children.
A state district judge will decide Escalona's punishment.
Prosecutors have portrayed Escalona as an unfit mother with a history of violence. They have played recordings in which a teenage Escalona threatened to kill her own mother. They said she was a former gang member who started smoking marijuana at age 11.
Escalona's five children - including one born since her arrest - are in the care of her mother, Ofelia Escalona.
Elizabeth Escalona was in her second day of testimony during her sentencing hearing. The 23-year-old faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty in July to injury to a child. Prosecutors are seeking a 45-year sentence.
Under questioning from prosecutor Eren Price, Escalona acknowledged her children occasionally misbehaved and she sometimes "needed a little break."
Escalona admitted she smoked marijuana about twice a day before the September 2011 attack on Jocelyn Cedillo. She also admitted to using drugs and alcohol while out on bond after her arrest.
Escalona's other children told authorities their mother attacked Jocelyn because of potty training problems.
Police say Escalona kicked her daughter, Jocelyn Cedillo, in the stomach, beat her with a milk jug, then stuck her hands to an apartment wall using an adhesive commonly known as Super Glue. Escalona's other children told authorities their mother attacked Jocelyn because of potty training problems.
Jocelyn suffered bleeding in her brain, a fractured rib, multiple bruises and bite marks, and was in a coma for a couple of days. Some skin had been torn off her hands, where doctors also found glue residue and white paint chips from the apartment wall, witnesses testified.
Escalona also testified Thursday that she often doesn't tell the truth and that she lied to doctors and other experts assigned to her case. But she resisted a prosecutor's repeated efforts to label her a liar.
"I'm not a liar," Escalona said. "I have a hard time trusting people."
A day earlier, Escalona pleaded for leniency, saying she would never forgive herself what she did to her daughter and that she loved her children.
A state district judge will decide Escalona's punishment.
Prosecutors have portrayed Escalona as an unfit mother with a history of violence. They have played recordings in which a teenage Escalona threatened to kill her own mother. They said she was a former gang member who started smoking marijuana at age 11.
Escalona's five children - including one born since her arrest - are in the care of her mother, Ofelia Escalona.
"A young Dallas mother of five who glued her toddler's hands to a wall during a beating testified Thursday that her children were a continuing source of stress in her life."
If all parents handled stress this way, the human species would cease to exist! All kids are a continuing source of stress! You were as a child, your grand kids will be. That is what we do, but as parents we deal with it, not try to kill the poor litte folks! And you say your "children" which means collectively.You could have stopped at one and chances are it would have been easier to cope without turning into a evil demon.
And this is how she copes with "stress".? This woman needs some real help.
And there is no dad mentioned for any of the 5 kides.... I hate to go there, but this is classic.
If her children were a stress to her she should have kept her legs closed and not continued having kids. Sheesh!
@blueyz my point exactly! You know the old saying, birth conrol still only costs a penny: put it between your knees and as long as you don't let it drop you won't get pregnant. Real good chance it works on guys,too.
I have said it many times. You can't fix stupid!!!!
So, having 5 kids by the time you're 23 creates stress? Well, guess what.. Your stressors are not the kids fault. You CHOSE to have children when you chose to have unprotected sex you self absorbed nit. To use the stress you felt at having to raise 5 kids as some sort of an explanation for the horrific abuse that a 3 year old suffered at your hands makes you even more of a useless excuse for a mother, and human being.Â
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To be honest about it, I'm almost as concerned by the fact that the kids are now in the mothers custody. That type of paternal disfunction is typically a learned behavior. I hope that the local CPS is keeping close tabs.
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Sounds like she going to get her wish and have quite a long stress free break...
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...in the Texas state penitentiary.Â
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What an evil witch she is!
@Dirtman Not exactly the state I would want to take my "vacation"in!
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So everyone who is not American beats their children? Really? Maybe you need to re-phrase your statement.
Now the State will take care of her and her children. No more stress.