Jose A Ruiz: Texas man sentenced to life in prison for fatal abuse of GF's five-year-old daughter

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BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS: A 27-year-old man from Texas has been sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the abuse and death of his girlfriend's five-year-old daughter on Monday, March 18. 

Jose A Ruiz, who brutally tortured the child until her skin was broken or bruised, was found guilty of seven counts of child injury causing serious bodily injury or death and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the 2022 death of Mercedes Losoya. 

He was sentenced to life in prison for his first count, 20 years for his second count, and 10 years for the remaining six counts. The sentences are going to run concurrently.

Mercedes Losoya's mother Katrina Rose Mendoza narrated the horrific abuse of Jose A Ruiz to the jury

Following the child's death, Losoya's mother, Katrina Rose Mendoza, was also taken into custody and accused of several felonies.

She and the Bexar County District Attorney's Office reached a deal whereby she admitted guilt to the lesser charge of one count of assault on a child by omission. In return, the mother was obligated to testify against Ruiz during his criminal trial as part of her plea agreement. 

According to a report from San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT, Mendoza told the jurors how her boyfriend used to torture her five-year-old daughter.

During the trial, Dr Rajesh Kannan, who conducted an autopsy on Losoya, testified about her extensive injuries and said, "This child suffered trauma. It’s extensive. From top to bottom. All over the body," as per Texas Public Radio.

An ER nurse who was present when the child was admitted to the hospital noted she had bruises all over her body from "head to toe" and "front and back."

As per the San Antonio Express-News, Brittany Mitchell, the assistant district attorney, informed the jurors last week, "She was a fighter. She was a second child. Jose (Ruiz) said, 'Give her to me, I’ll show her discipline.' But it was abuse. Jose (Ruiz) took it to a whole new level of cruelty." 

Mercedes Losoya had 'bruises, scratches, cuts, and swelling' on every visible portion of her body

Mendoza brought an unresponsive Losoya to Southwest General Hospital in San Antonio on February 7, 2022, as Law&Crime reported. The five-year-old was declared dead shortly after arriving at the hospital, despite the efforts of the doctors to revive her.

Her wounds were suspicious, so the medical staff informed the police about them, leading to the apprehension of Ruiz and Mendoza. 

After responding to the scene, San Antonio Police officers wrote a troubling report regarding the child's injuries. Losoya appeared to have had sections of her hair torn out of her head, according to a probable cause affidavit.

She also appeared to have deep "bruises, scratches, cuts, and swelling on every visible portion of her body" in addition to what looked to be defensive wounds on both of her hands, which also had cuts and swelling.

Authorities said that the child's legs and feet were also bruised and that she was missing multiple toenails in addition to having small puncture wounds on the bottoms of her feet.

The affidavit said, "The victim’s legs were covered with bruises, some of which appeared to be patterned, which is what is commonly seen when belts or other objects are used to inflict injury."

Subsequently, the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on Mercedes and informed police that it was "obvious the victim suffered extreme abuse and torture."

Due to the sheer number of injuries, the medical examiner presiding over the five-year-old's case declared that "further investigation would be required to make a conclusion as to the cause and manner" and that there was "no clear or obvious injury that caused the victim's death."

In an interview with investigators, Mendoza stated that Ruiz had severely abused Losoya in the three weeks since they moved into his home. 

The date of the mother's sentencing hearing is still pending. She could spend five to 45 years behind bars.