SAN ANTONIO, May 11 (UPI) -- A San Antonio jury Wednesday found a woman guilty in the starvation death of her 4-year-old grandson.
Jurors deliberated about three hours before finding Maria Palacios guilty on three charges in the death Jovonie Ochoa, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
Palacios was convicted on charges of injury to a child by omission, unlawful restraint of a child and endangering the life of a child. She faces five to 99 years or life in prison.
Jovonie probably was starved for a month or longer, the medical examiner said. He died on Christmas 2003.
A paramedic called to the family's home described the boy, who weighed only 16 pounds, as a skeleton with skin.
Palacios denied she had starved her grandson. She testified the boy was dropped off at her house the night before he died, and she was too frightened to seek medical help.
Palacios is the first of five relatives to stand trial in Jovonie's death.
