DONNA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Jose Manuel Uresti, the man accused of killing his 3-year-old daughter, was arraigned before a judge Monday.
Uresti is being held on a charge of capital murder without bond.
Uresti, 23, was arrested Saturday by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force of the US Marshals Service at the Anzalduas International Bridge.
The child’s mother, Wendy Sarahi Rivera, 25, was arrested after her daughter suffered extensive injuries and was found unresponsive Thursday afternoon at a residence in rural Donna shortly after 4:30 p.m.
The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office says the child had bruises, lacerations, burns and bite marks, all indicating prolonged abuse.
The girl was transported to Edinburg Children’s Hospital and was pronounced dead an hour later.
The autopsy determined the toddler’s cause of death to be blunt force trauma and officially ruled the girl’s death a homicide.
Rivera admitted to knowing about the injuries and failing to report them. She was charged with failure to report a felony and is in custody.