Iowa woman pleads guilty for role in toddler’s 2012 death

IOWA

Iowa woman pleads guilty for role in toddler’s 2012 death

IOWA CITY (AP) — An Iowa City woman has pleaded guilty to charges for her role in the 2012 death of her toddler and faces up to 25 years in prison when she's sentenced next month.

Mireya Balderas, 21, pleaded guilty earlier this month to neglect of a dependent person and three counts of child endangerment in the April 2012 death of 20-monthold Marcus Balderas, the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported. On Friday, she appeared in Johnson County District Court, where her attorney asked that her sentencing be pushed back.

The judge refused, setting Balderas' sentencing for Dec. 4.

'It's time for this matter to be put to bed,' Judge Mitchell Turner said, noting that Balderas' case began more than three years ago.

Balderas' boyfriend and the boy's father, Jorge Perez, was sentenced to 50 years in prison in June after pleading guilty to child endangerment resulting in death.

Police have said that Perez acknowledged hitting the boy's head and face, stepping on his stomach, tossing him to the ground and slapping him.

Balderas also conceded to striking the boy several times and holding a pillow over his face, police have said.

Doctors said the boy had broken ribs and multiple bruises on his head, face, back and stomach, as well as internal injuries and subdural bleeding in his head. An autopsy determined he died of blunt force trauma.