The victim's sisters witnessed the torture and were instructed to lie to authorities, the L.A. County District Attorney's Office said
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NEED TO KNOW
- A California judge has been sentenced in the August 2021 death of the woman’s child
- Oriana Estela Elias, 38, and her partner, 39-year-old Vincent Gibbs, tortured the teen until she died for “inappropriate text messages,” prosecutors alleged
- The victim has been identified as 16-year-old Pearlene V., per authorities
A California couple has been sentenced for the death of the woman’s teen daughter after torturing her for communicating with teen boys.
On Thursday, April 2, Oriana Estela Elias, 38, and her partner, 39-year-old Vincent Gibbs, were each sentenced to 22 years to life in prison for the August 2021 torture of the woman’s daughter that led to the 16-year-old’s death, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.
The victim was identified as Pearlene V.
PEOPLE reached out to Elias and Gibbs’ attorneys, but did not immediately receive a response.
On Aug. 15, 2021, the couple became upset with Pearlene “for sending inappropriate text messages to teenage boys,” the district attorney’s office said.
As punishment, Elias and Gibbs made her do strenuous exercises in the hot sun, then beat her with both a wooden plank and a belt for several hours as her sisters watched.
Eventually, Pearlene collapsed and died inside a makeshift bathroom in the family’s trailer, which had no running water or electricity.
Before the paramedics arrived, Pearlene’s sisters were instructed to “lie and not tell the police” or first responders what had happened, the L.A. County D.A.'s office said.
A jury convicted Elias of one count of second-degree murder, one felony count of torture, one felony count of child abuse and two felony counts of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime.
Gibbs was convicted of one count of second-degree murder, one felony count of torture and one felony count of child abuse. "The jury also found true the allegation that Gibbs caused great bodily injury and used a weapon in the commission of the crime," the D.A.'s office noted.
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“This sentence reflects an unthinkable betrayal by parents who are meant to protect their children from harm,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement.
“Pearlene was denied the chance to grow up and become who she was meant to be,” he said. “There is no punishment that can restore the loss of life. I am grateful to Deputy District Attorneys Suzanna Friedman and Diane Hong for their diligence, compassion and resolve to ensure that the victim received justice and the defendants were held fully accountable.”
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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