Fort Bend County mom sentenced to 50 years in prison in connection with 12-year-old's death

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Wednesday, August 2, 2023
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FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A 36-year-old Sugar Land mother will spend 50 years in prison in connection with the death of her 12-year-old daughter.

Khierra Sada Walker was sentenced on July 24 after pleading guilty to injury to a child by omission causing serious bodily injury.

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Attention was brought to the case when authorities were called about a 12-year-old that was non-responsive. A Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office detective said the girl had multiple severe burns on her body. Investigators also learned Walker was the child's mother.

During the investigation, Walker claimed she had been trying to treat her daughter's burns for several days with multiple home remedies and over-the-counter items. But the child died.

While performing an autopsy, Dr. Stephen Pustilnik, the county's chief medical examiner, indicated the 12-year-old suffered third-degree burns on various parts of her body. Pustilnik said Walker's daughter developed sepsis due to her injuries, but had she received appropriate medical treatment, she would've survived.

During her case, Walker waived her right to a jury trial, which meant she would enter a guilty plea.

"The details of this case are appalling. A child should be able to rely on their mother, and Khierra Walker failed her child. Children deserve to be loved and cared for, not treated like they are disposable. This child had injuries that clearly required immediate medical attention. We will not sit by and tolerate parents and caregivers who have so little regard for the life of a child," Melissa Muñoz, the lead prosecutor, said.