Trial for trio accused of killing, starving young boy moves forward

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The trials for a trio accused of starving and abusing a boy before he ultimately died is moving forward.

Sabrina Lynn Loredo, Ruben Gonzalez and Antonia Gonzalez are each facing one count of murder and four counts of injury to a child in connection to the death of Jesse Harrison Jr.

_{Left: Ruben Gonzalez, Middle: Sabrina Loredo. Right: Antonia Gonzalez. Photos courtesy: Willacy County Sheriff's Office Facebook}

The indictments levied against the trio accuse them of causing Harrison's death by failing to provide adequate medical care and restricting his food, water and nutritional intake. The documents reference several injuries allegedly caused by the group, including broken fingers, a broken arm, bruised genitalia and anus "by manners unknown to the grand jury."

Background

During the early hours of Jan. 21, 2021, the Willacy County Sheriff's Office received a phone call from the Valley Baptist Medical Center informing of a possible sexual assault of a young boy. Investigators met with medical personnel and launched an investigation.

They then drove to the child's home on 525 W. Main in Sebastian. They searched the residence and documented the scene.

Two days after they received the initial call from the hospital, the child died from his injuries.

An autopsy was received in December 2021, which deemed the cause of death as inconclusive, the post stated. Then, on April 14, 2022, deputies arrested Loredo, Ruben and Antonia on charges of injury to a child.

In July 2022, the sheriff's office announced that they served indictments in the case, where the trio was now charged with murder, aggravated assault causing bodily injury, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury, injury to a child and engaging in organized crime.

The aggravated assault charges specified the weapons as "belt, bow or arrow," the post details.

In March, the case was transferred from Willacy County to Cameron County.

An announcement hearing was held Wednesday, where Loredo and Antonia's defense team announced they were not ready and requested a reset to the trial date, which was scheduled to take place in August. The court pushed the trial date back to Oct. 21.