Bryan man sentenced to 40 years in prison for child abuse

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – A Bryan man has been sentenced to four decades in prison for causing severe injuries to his own child.

The child abuse unfolded on April 1, 2020, when Gabriel Sanchez, 22, was left home alone with his 37-day-old daughter while the mother was at work.

Bryan police officers were summoned to St. Joseph Hospital after medical staff raised alarm over the child’s injuries that were suggestive of physical abuse. A CT scan showed multiple skull fractures, old and new bleeding in the brain, as well as numerous bruises to the brain and body, many imprinted in the shape of handprints. The severity of these injuries, attributed to violent shaking and striking episodes, resulted in the child being life-flighted to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

Prosecutors say Sanchez initially claimed the child had fallen off the bed but later confessed to investigators that he had physically abused the infant, even throwing her onto the bed, causing her to strike a nightstand. He also admitted to attempting to prevent the child’s mother from seeking medical assistance for their injured baby.

Prosecutors, supported by evidence from a child abuse expert at Texas Children’s, presented the disconcerting fact that although the infant survived and did not display immediate, lasting effects from the abuse, the full extent of the injuries will not be known until the child starts school. Additionally, the court heard that Sanchez had a history of violence towards other family members, including the child’s mother and a disabled, elderly relative of the mother.

The case was investigated by Detectives Suehs and Amaya of the Bryan Police Department, along with Tiffany Graves from the Brazos County District Attorney’s Office. The prosecution was led by Jessica Escue and Anjelica Harris.

In a joint statement, Assistant District Attorneys Jessica Escue and Anjelica Harris said, “This Defendant attacked an innocent and defenseless child. The jury’s verdict and sentence sends a strong message that our community will take a strong stand to protect the most vulnerable among us.”