A mum who failed to seek medical care for cheerleader daughter who died from horrific injuries has been given 25 years behind bars.
Denise Balbaneda’s sentence came after she was hit with one charge of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission.
The 38-year-old alongside her husband Gerald Gonzales, who was indicted on the same charge, were involved in the death of 12-year-old Miranda Sipps.
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The teenage cheerleader’s mother and stepfather knowingly caused injury to her and then failed to seek medical attention.
Balbaneda was sentenced to 25 years in prison on 20 Oct, as reported by Need To Know.
Gonzales, 42, is set to be sentenced in November.
Sipps sadly died after spending four days incapacitated suffering from life-threatening injuries.
The cheerleader had sustained severe trauma to her neck which left her unable to swallow.
The cause of the injury is unknown.
Instead of rushing her child to hospital, Balbeneda laid her on a makeshift pallet inside their unclean home and attempted to treat the injuries with smoothies.
Reports state that she was force-fed smoothies and vitamins despite being unable to swallow.
On 12 Aug 2024, the emergency services were finally called after Miranda entered severe respiratory distress.
The mother attempted to drive her to a hospital in Jourdanton from their home in Christine, Atascosa County, Texas.
Emergency services told her to stop and meet them on the highway – where the child was rushed to Methodist Hospital Atascosa.
Despite their best efforts, it was too late and Miranda was prenounced dead on the evening of 12 Aug 2024.
The following day, the mother and stepfather were arrested and placed in Atascosa County Jail.
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