New Mexico Woman Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison For Brutally Beating 2-Year-Old

A New Mexico woman has been sentenced to nine years in prison after she pleaded guilty to viciously beating a two-year-old girl for hours in 2019.

Desirae Vargas, 32, pleaded guilty to a felony child abuse charge Thursday. Third Judicial District Judge Conrad Perea sentenced the woman to nine years in prison, two years of parole and a $10,000 fine. Vargas also received about two years off her sentence for time served in jail before Thursday’s hearing, Associated Press reported.

On the night of March 23, 2019, Vargas beat her then-boyfriend’s daughter for hours, prosecutors said. According to the Las Cruces Police Department, several neighbors reported hearing or seeing the woman hitting the girl. When officers arrived at Vargas' apartment on the 1100 block of Montana Avenue, they found the toddler with injuries on her face.

As per court records obtained by the Las Cruces Sun-News, a medical examination report stated that the toddler had bruising and abrasions on her neck, arms, torso, abdomen, back, buttocks, genitalia, legs and feet.

"The beating went on for so long and it even included bite marks," Assistant District Attorney George Harrison was quoted as saying by the outlet.

Vargas told police that on the night of the incident she was woken up by the toddler. The woman then gave her chocolate milk, but the toddler allegedly started screaming. Vargas then hit the little girl, first with her hand and then with a belt.

The woman earlier told police that it was possible the toddler's injuries were caused by her actions. Vargas initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Another woman, Anika Samario, who was staying in the apartment at the time of the incident, was also sentenced to four years in prison after she pleaded to charges of child abuse and failing to report child abuse.

As per court records, Vargas, the woman and another guest had been using methamphetamine.

"This case is quite old, and she's been in jail for a long time," Harrison said during a sentencing hearing Thursday. "And that is the reason we offered the plea." The toddler is now living with her relatives.