This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A South Salt Lake woman was sentenced to prison for up to life on Friday for using a kitchen implement to fatally beat her 5-year-old daughter last year.
Angeles Cadillo-Castro, 32, was charged in 3rd District Court with first-degree felony murder for the July 27 death of the victim, identified in court documents only as "S.G.E."
Earlier this year, Cadillo-Castro pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of child-abuse homicide.
Judge Katherine Bernards-Goodman sentenced the woman to a term of five years to life. The original murder charge was punishable by a prison term of 15 years to life.
Prosecutor Katherine Peters said sentencing for Cadillo-Castro was concise and went as expected.
"We just showed the [autopsy] photos to the judge, and then [Cadillo-Castro] was sentenced," Peters said.
The woman originally blamed the abuse on a caregiver, but in a pre-sentencing report she admitted to being the culprit.
Defense attorney John West said Cadillo-Castro "did take responsibility for actions that resulted in the child's death" and was "very remorseful" and ready to accept the sentence handed down.
West said there was no evidence of the woman committing any prior abuse.
"There were a lot of pressures on her at the time, and I think she just kind of snapped," West told The Salt Lake Tribune, adding that Cadillo-Castro was also a victim of abuse.
West said the woman's background doesn't excuse her behavior, but explains that she "wasn't equipped emotionally to be a parent."
A spatula likely was used to beat the girl, according to a police search warrant. The girl had bruising across her body "consistent with a severe and prolonged assault," police said. The medical examiner said some of the injuries were consistent with a spatula found in the home.
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