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.
Tarrant County Judge Julie Lugo on Monday sentenced Dulce Gomez to 30 years in a state correctional facility in connection with the death of Fabian Arjon, authorities announced.
Lugo handed down the sentence after Gomez reached a plea deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of murder. She had originally been charged with capital murder of a person under 10 years old.
Gomez must serve at least 15 years before she becomes eligible for parole, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
According to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, Fort Worth Police Department officers and emergency medical personnel responded on Nov. 4, 2024, to a home on West Vista Circle after a report of an unresponsive infant. Paramedics took the baby to Cook Children’s Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The medical examiner ruled Fabian’s death a homicide, with suffocation listed as the cause, prosecutors said. Authorities have shared few details about the case but said Gomez smothered the child with a pillow, according to The Hanford Sentinel.
Officials have not disclosed a motive for the killing or explained Gomez’s relationship to Fabian and his family.
During Monday’s sentencing hearing, Lugo questioned Gomez about the plea agreement and her immigration status, the Star-Telegram reported. Gomez reportedly acknowledged that she is not a U.S. citizen and confirmed that she understood she could face deportation as a result of her conviction.
Had Gomez been convicted of capital murder, she would have faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“Thanks to the Fort Worth Police Department for their work on this case and for their commitment to keeping our community safe,” the DA’s office said in a statement posted to its Facebook page.