STOCKTON, Calif. — A California man has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for the tragic and preventable death of his infant son, following a conviction on multiple child abuse charges.
According to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, 26-year-old Mathew Garcia received his sentence on June 16 after a jury in February found him guilty of child abuse resulting in death, child abuse causing great bodily injury, and misdemeanor child abuse.
The victim, Emiliano Garcia, was born on August 22, 2020, and lived with his parents, Mathew Garcia and Amber Navarro, along with two other children. However, what prosecutors described as a home that “should have been a safe and loving environment” became a setting of repeated and escalating violence.
On November 10, 2020, just months after his birth, Emiliano was taken to St. Joseph’s Emergency Room after his mother noticed abnormal spots in his mouth. Doctors diagnosed him with thrush, but later that same night, while under the father’s care, the baby reportedly developed a fever, had trouble breathing, and experienced seizures.
Further investigation revealed a pattern of abuse that prosecutors say was intentional and severe. Garcia admitted to violently shoving a bottle into the baby’s mouth, shaking him, kicking him, and even throwing him into a bathtub just days before his death. Despite noticing a soft “mushy” area on his son’s head, Garcia failed to seek medical help or inform the boy’s mother.
Emiliano died on November 14, 2020, from craniocerebral trauma caused by multiple violent assaults. A medical examiner confirmed the injuries were consistent with repeated physical abuse.
District Attorney Ron Freitas called the case “tragic and unconscionable,” stating:
“The abuse suffered by Emiliano Garcia is both tragic and unimaginable. This sentence ensures Mathew Garcia is held fully accountable for the horrific harm he caused. We are dedicated to protecting our community’s most vulnerable members and hope this verdict brings some measure of justice for Emiliano.”
The case has drawn widespread attention in Stockton and across California, underscoring the devastating consequences of child abuse and the justice system’s role in ensuring accountability