BELTON, Texas (AP) _ A central Texas jury has found a woman guilty of murder in the starvation death of her 71/2-week-old son.
The nine-woman, three-man Bell County jury deliberated for a little more than an hour Wednesday before returning its verdict against 31-year-old Nilda Iliana Rodriguez of Harker Heights.
The jury will begin hearing evidence Thursday in state district court in Belton on how Rodriguez should be punished. She could get five to 99 years or life in prison.
Rodriguez was convicted of starving Deon Dejuan Griffin to death in 2008.
Testifying Wednesday, Rodriguez said her son had trouble eating sometimes before his death. Her attorneys also contend the child’s death resulted from a diabetic coma, insulin rejection or choking.
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