Four STOUT Siblings - Gainesville TX

GAINESVILLE,
TX -- It was a case that eyewitnesses say broke their hearts; four
children were severely burned when their mother's boyfriend threw acid
on them.
Thursday, the verdict was handed down to the man accused of hurting those children.
January 18th of last year Tracy Escobedo turned himself in to Authorities.
Accused of intentionally causing injury to a child by throwing acid on
four children, Escobedo heard the verdict Thursday morning.


"The
jury returned a verdict of knowingly and intentionally causing injury
to a child," said Cooke County District Attorney Janice Warder.
It took less than an hour for the jury to reach their verdict; they then had to decide what punishment Escobedo would receive.
Prosecutors asked jurors to return a sentence of life in prison.
"Given the facts of this case, I feel it is the only appropriate punishment," said Warder.
Eyewitnesses say it is hard to describe the children's injuries, without being overcome with emotion.
"I
was wiping their face, and the skin was just coming off of them, it
just made me upset to hear a kid screaming that way," said Bo Skinner,
who was at a convenience store, where the children were brought after
being exposed to the acid.
After
another hour of deliberation, the jury sentenced Escobedo to spend the
rest of his life in prison. The children's mother, Cynthia Stout, was
given a ten year sentencing in October, for her role in the kids
injuries.
All four children are in foster care, and are still receiving treatment for their burns.
Prosecutors
say they hope fact that Tracy Escobedo will never again be a free man,
will help the children move forward with their lives and their recovery.
"I
think it will provide some closure in their lives, it will insure that
they never have to be subjected to Mr. Escobedo again," said Warder.