Alamo man pleads guilty in death of toddler, gets 40 years

ALAMO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An Alamo man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison in connection to the death of a 19-month-old child.

Hector Jose Sanchez was facing charges of capital murder of a person under 10 years of age, murder, injury to a child with intent SBI/Mental and injury to a child reckless SBI/Mental in connection to the death of his girlfriend's toddler.

^{Hector Jose Sanchez (Hidalgo County Jail)}

Crystal Pelayo, the child’s mother, was sentenced to 25 years in jail in June after pleading guilty to a charge of injury to a child, serious bodily injury by omission, failing to intercede or stop physical abuse, court officials told ValleyCentral.

On Monday, Sanchez pleaded guilty, in the 476 Hidalgo County Court, to his role in the death of the toddler.

Sanchez has been ordered to serve 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to injury to a child by omission and count four of the indictment which stated he struck the child with an object unknown or unknowable to the jury.

^{Crystal Angeles Pelayo (Hidalgo County Jail)}

The remaining counts were dismissed.

The couple was arrested by Alamo police in February 2020 in connection to the child's death.