Dad sentenced for rape, felony murder of 2-month-old daughter during his visitation; eligible for parole in 30 years (San Antonio, Texas)

Dad is identified as DOMINIQUE MARTEZ REED.

This case is additional evidence of one of our Dastardly Dads axioms: The father's custodial status will be forgotten by the time he goes to trial. According to our earlier post, the rape and murder of this infant took place during the father's visitation.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Father-sentenced-for-death-of-infant-daughter-6110800.php

Father sentenced for death of infant daughter

By Michelle Casady : March 2, 2015 : Updated: March 2, 2015 5:10pm

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ON MySA: A 25-year-old father originally charged with capital murder in the death of his infant daughter was sentenced Monday to life in prison.

District Attorney Nicholas “Nico” LaHood said the plea, which downgraded the charge to murder and was offered by the previous administration, is not one his office would have signed off on in the case of Dominique Martez Reed.

“I wouldn’t have approved this plea,” he said, clarifying that didn’t mean his office would have necessarily sought the death penalty. “I wouldn’t have waived the capital charges.”

A defendant convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life does not have the option of parole. Reed, convicted of felony murder, will be eligible for parole in 30 years.

In November, state District Judge Ron Rangel approved the agreement in which Reed pleaded no contest to murder.

The plea was open, meaning Rangel had the full punishment range of five years to life to consider Monday.

Reed was arrested in October 2010 after 2-month-old Zaniyah Reed was pronounced dead at a hospital from injuries that included 14 rib fractures, indications of sexual assault, a lacerated pancreas and liver, a distended stomach and scalp hemorrhages, court documents show.

Reed, who was alone with the child when authorities allege the injuries occurred, returned the child to her mother wrapped in a blanket and unresponsive.

Initially, he denied to police that he was responsible for the injuries, though later he confessed to punching the child when she wouldn’t stop crying.

He adamantly denied responsibility for the alleged sexual assault.

LaHood, alongside assistant district attorney Scott Simpson, represented the state in the proceedings Monday.

It marked the first time LaHood was back in court since being elected district attorney in November.

The state presented evidence from a medical examiner who called it the worst case of abuse involving an infant death that she had seen.

After sentencing, LaHood spoke briefly to the mother and grandmother of Zaniyah Reed, who were overcome with emotion and declined to read a victim impact statement they had prepared.

He said they viewed the punishment as the “next step in closure.”

“Nothing is going to bring that child back,” LaHood said. “People are not going to abuse children — or anyone for that matter, but in this case children — and think they’re going to get away with it.”