Texas father Francisco Ricardo Sotello Baez has been sentenced to six years in prison after severely beating his two-year-old son because he believed the child was gay.
23-year-old Baez, a father of five, admitted to repeatedly punching his son in the face, leaving the boy severely injured and bleeding from the nose.
The violent assault was not an isolated incident. Baez testified in court that he regularly used physical punishment to “toughen up” his son, expressing concerns over the child’s perceived feminine behaviour. According to Baez, his son preferred playing with toys like Barbies and kitchen sets instead of the traditionally masculine toys such as robots, cars, and footballs that Baez provided.
In his testimony, Baez stated that he was “disappointed” and fearful that his first-born son might be gay as a result of these preferences.
Judge Stephanie Boyd of the 187th District Court in Bexar County expressed outrage during the sentencing, saying, “Basically, you beat up a two-year-old because you think your two-year-old is gay, and you wanna toughen up a two-year-old. He’s two!”
Baez pleaded for leniency, expressing remorse and blaming his actions on the influence of drugs and alcohol. He asked for a second chance, claiming he had turned his life around and wanted to care for his family.
However, despite his plea, Judge Boyd sided with the prosecution, agreeing that the six-year prison sentence was justified due to the severity of the abuse and the lasting impact on the child. The judge also cited Baez’s history of domestic violence, including previous assaults on the child’s mother. Baez had already been placed on probation and required to complete anger management courses as part of his rehabilitation.
As part of his sentencing, Baez is prohibited from contacting his son, his other children, or any minors both during and after his prison term.
