RICHMOND, Texas – A Sugar Land woman was sentenced to 50 years in prison for abusing her daughter, who died from sepsis after receiving third-degree burns, the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
On July 24, 36-year-old Khierra Sada Walker was sentenced to 50 years in prison by 400th District Court Judge Tameika Carter. Walker pleaded guilty to injury to a child by omission causing serious bodily injury and elected to have her punishment assessed by the court, a news release from Second Assistant District Attorney Wesley Wittig said. By waiving her right to a jury trial and entering a guilty plea, she was eligible to ask the court for deferred adjudication, which is a form of probation.
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Law enforcement and emergency personnel said they were contacted regarding a 12-year-old girl that was non-responsive. Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office Detective Jeffrey Brownson observed the child and claimed she had “numerous” severe burns on her body that required medical attention. During the investigation, authorities learned that Walker was the girl’s mother. She claimed that she had been attempting to treat the child’s burns for several days with various home remedies and over-the-counter items, but the girl died from her injuries.
Fort Bend County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Pustilnik conducted an autopsy of the child and testified at the punishment hearing. According to Dr. Pustilnik, the victim suffered from third-degree burns on various parts of her body and developed sepsis as a result of the injuries. KPRC 2 reached out to authorities for more information on how the girl was burned and will share that information if it is sent to us.
“Had the child received appropriate medical treatment, she would have survived,” the news release said.
Dr. Pustilnik explained that the girl would have been in extreme pain that would have escalated as her sepsis progressed.
Injury to a child by omission causing serious bodily injury is a first-degree felony and punishable by five to 99 years, or life, in prison and a fine up to $10,000. Assistant District Attorneys Melissa Muñoz and Tristyl McInnis prosecuted the case.
“The details of this case are appalling. A child should be able to rely on their mother, and Khierra Walker failed her child. Children deserve to be loved and cared for, not treated like they are disposable. This child had injuries that clearly required immediate medical attention. We will not sit by and tolerate parents and caregivers who have so little regard for the life of a child,” lead prosecutor Melissa Muñoz said.
“The defendant’s actions were inhumane and merciless. The severe punishment imposed upon the defendant was a just punishment, but imprisonment pales in comparison to the pain that the victim had to endure. Our community must stand against child abuse and report any signs of abuse to authorities immediately. Early intervention is vital to saving lives,” District Attorney Brian Middleton said.
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