Dad denied parole in brutal beating of 6-month-old daughter (Harris County, Texas)

Dad IVAN CASTANEDA will not be getting parole....
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Father-denied-parole-in-baby-s-beating-2273407.php

Father denied parole in baby's beating

By TERRI LANGFORD, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Updated 09:40 p.m., Wednesday, November 16, 2011

It will be at least another five years in prison for Ivan Castaneda, sentenced to life in 2005 for the savage beating of his 6-month-old daughter, who suffered injuries so brutal the case is considered one of Harris County's worst.

On Wednesday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied parole for Castaneda and set his next hearing for 2016.

His daughter Hailey survived the beating, despite injuries that included two broken legs, a broken arm, a nearly severed tongue and lacerations to her kidney, liver and pancreas. Dubbed Houston's "miracle baby," she and her sister were eventually adopted.

Change in law

Still, Castaneda's crime had been hanging over the girls' new lives. Because his conviction occurred before a critical 2007 change in state law, Castaneda became parole eligible for the first time this year, just six years into his life sentence.

Had he been convicted today, he would have had to had serve at least half his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The 2007 change would have made Castaneda ineligible right now, based on his crime and corresponding "good time" credits, which are used to shorten a convicted felon's sentence.

The two girls have new names and have been thriving in their new lives.

"They are just happy innocent children who still believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny. I dread the day I have to sit them down and tell them that this has happened to them," said Zenia Ledezma, who along with her husband, Christopher, adopted Hailey and her sister.

Sister also injured

Castaneda first came to Houston child abuse workers' attention before Hailey was born, in November 2003, when Hailey's older sister Charla, then 4 weeks old, landed in the emergency room with a broken leg and a head injury.

Castaneda's common-law wife and the girl's mother, Donna Norman, told hospital staff the girl's injury had occurred after she left Charla in Castaneda's care.

Texas Child Protective Services took Charla into custody but returned her a year later after Norman had given birth to Hailey.