CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Conflicting testimony led to a plea deal in the case of Mark Anthony Hernandez, who was originally charged with murder in the May 2021 death of 1-year-old Jessell Lopez.
Jessell was found unconscious at a Southside apartment complex on May 10, 2021. Hernandez claimed the child fell off a bed. The child died two days later.
According to Hernandez's attorney, Celina Lopez Leon, Mark Anthony Hernandez was arrested after calling 911 because the child was suffering from symptoms of head trauma while under his care.
However, conflicting testimony during a bond hearing supported the defense's theory that the injury that led to the child's death had occurred days before when Hernandez was caring for the child.
As a result of this conflicting testimony, Hernandez agreed to a plea deal and pleaded guilty to injury to a child by omission rather than the original murder charge.
The 31-year-old received 10 years of deferred adjudication and was ordered to complete 300 hours of community service. He is also banned from contacting the victim's family.
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