A Pennsylvania woman was convicted in connection with the death of her 3-year-old stepdaughter, who suffered horrific abuse, authorities said.
On July 3, a judge in Allegheny County found Laura Ramriez, 31, guilty of multiple counts that included aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful restraint and conspiracy to commit homicide for the death of the toddler, Bella Seachrist, Trib Live reported.
Ramriez will be sentenced at a later date.
According to court records, Ramriez was the partner of the young victim’s father, Jose Salazar-Ortiz Sr., 32.
On June 9, 2020, Bella was found unresponsive at the family’s Oakmont home and she was transported to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
An autopsy determined the child died from malnutrition, child abuse and neglect and suffered what a criminal complaint said was blunt force trauma.
The criminal complaint, obtained by Trib Live, shows Bella was also the victim of abuse. The document states Ramirez used shoelaces to tie the little girl to a staircase, beat her with a wooden spoon, and isolated her in a closet.
The defendant was also accused of forcing the little girl to sit on a potty chair for so long that she suffered swollen and purple feet.
At the time of Bella’s death, she weighed 29 pounds, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
Ramriez will be held at the Allegheny County jail until her sentencing.
Salazar-Ortiz, the defendant’s partner and child’s father, was found guilty in the spring of third-degree murder, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and conspiracy, according to Trib Live.
He will be sentenced in August.
Ramirez’s 23-year-old sister, Alexis Herrera, was charged with homicide and other crimes in connection with Bella’s death and is scheduled to go on trial early next year.
Why do people who hate kids date people with kids? They should all get the death penalty asap!