Today marked the end of a six year journey in sentencing Carla Torres and Alberto Garcia in the death of three-year-old Serenity Gandara.
"It took two years to find where they were in Mexico, it took two years to get them back here, and two years for the trial," said Attorney Melissa Allen, Prosecutor in the case.
In July 2010, Serenity, along with her four-year-old brother, Isaiah were found abandoned in the Garcia's Southwest Bakersfield home. Serenity was found dead with blunt force trauma, the official cause of death.
The couple fled, along with their three biological children to Mexico, and were eventually expedited back to the U.S. in 2014.
Torres and Garcia were both charged with one count of second degree murder and two counts of willful cruelty to a child. Garcia was given 15 years to life.
However, Torres, who is believed to have spearheaded the abuse, had an additional charge of child neglect and abuse, was given 25 years to life.
This is something the defense believes the jury got wrong.
"It was our view that her husband did it, and she was intimidated in their relationship, the jury did not agree with that," said Bakersfield Criminal Defense Attorney and Torres lawyer, Bill Slocumb.
However, the prosecution finds the sentencing fair, and believes justice was served for Serenity and Isaiah.
"We know that it (the abuse) started four hours before she actually died, and before the final injury was finally inflicted upon her little three-year-old body, so I think the sentencing is extremely fair," said Allen.
