Mom pleads guilty in death of daughter forced to eat feces

A Texas mom has pleaded guilty to her role in the torture death of her 5-year-old daughter – who was forced to eat dog feces and put urine-soaked socks in her mouth.

Katrina Mendoza, 23, of San Antonio, pleaded guilty Monday to a first-degree felony count of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, Law & Crime reported.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of life behind bars, but the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office agreed to cap her sentence at 45 years if she pleaded guilty, according to the outlet.

Mendoza and her then-boyfriend, Jose Ruiz, 27, were both arrested and charged with injury to a child after the death of her daughter, Mercedes Losoya.

The child was pronounced dead at Southwest General Hospital in February 2022 after cops said she suffered weeks of extreme physical abuse that left her with cuts and bruises – and caused her to lose large chunks of hair and several toenails.

Mendoza told investigators that Ruiz had abused her daughter for three weeks after she asked him to help discipline the girl. She claimed he forced Mercedes to put dog feces in her mouth as he screamed at her.

She said he stuffed a sock soaked in urine into the girl’s mouth — and then pulled it out so aggressively that two of her teeth fell out, officials have said.

The mother also alleged that Ruiz repeatedly struck Mercedes with belts and his hands, which were covered with rings – but he claimed he only slapped the girl “on the ass” and accused the victim’s 6-year-old sister of pulling out her hair.

Ruiz, who pleaded not guilty to injury to a child causing serious bodily injury, is scheduled to go to trial in October, according to Law & Crime.

On Monday, District Judge Stephanie Boyd said she would delay formally sentencing Mendoza until after Ruiz’s trial is completed, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Mercedes’ sister has reportedly been removed from the home and placed in the custody of Child Protective Services.