A California couple was sentenced for the death of a woman’s teen daughter after torturing her for talking with teen boys.
On Thursday, April 2, Oriana Estela Elias, 38, and her partner, 39-year-old Vincent Gibbs, were sentenced to 22 years to life in prison for torturing the woman’s daughter in August 2021, resulting in the 16-year-old’s death, according to a press release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Related posts
The victim was identified as Pearlene V.
The couple became furious with Pearlene on August 15, 2021, “for sending inappropriate text messages to teenage boys,” according to the district attorney’s office.
As punishment, Elias and Gibbs forced her to complete difficult workouts in the scorching sun before beating her with a wooden plank and a belt for several hours while her sisters watched.
Pearlene eventually collapsed and died in a makeshift bathroom in the family trailer, which lacked running water and power.
Before paramedics came, Pearlene’s sisters were told to “lie and not tell the police” or first responders about what had transpired, according to the office of the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
A jury found Elias guilty of one count of second-degree murder, one felony count of torture, one felony count of child abuse, and two felony counts of discouraging a witness from reporting a crime.
Gibbs was found guilty of one count of second-degree murder, one felony offense of torture, and one felony count of child abuse. “The jury also found true the allegation that Gibbs caused great bodily injury and used a weapon in the commission of the crime,” the D.A.’s office stated.
“This sentence reflects an unthinkable betrayal by parents who are meant to protect their children from harm,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement.
“Pearlene was denied the chance to grow up and become who she was meant to be,” he said. “There is no punishment that can restore the loss of life. I am grateful to Deputy District Attorneys Suzanna Friedman and Diane Hong for their diligence, compassion and resolve to ensure that the victim received justice and the defendants were held fully accountable.”
If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week in over 170 languages.
