Stepmother convicted of murder in 5-year-old’s death

Kim Smith

Monday, Jan. 21, 2002 | 9:22 a.m.

A 27-year-old Las Vegas woman could be sentenced to a no-parole life term next month after being convicted of first-degree murder by child abuse Friday.

A Clark County jury took just 90 minutes to rule that Martha Flores beat her 5-year-old stepdaughter, Zoraida, to death in January 2001.

District Judge Joseph Bonaventure is scheduled to sentence Flores Feb. 20.

Prosecutors told jurors that Zoraida Flores died within an hour of sustaining head injuries and Martha Flores was the only adult in their home in that time period.

Flores' own 5-year-old daughter, Sylvia, told police her mother struck Zoraida in the head after the girl urinated on herself and refused to take a shower.

Flores' attorney, Joseph Scalia, argued during closing arguments that Flores' husband, Roberto, was responsible for the child's death. He alleged authorities overlooked physical evidence that suggested the girl had been the victim of sexual abuse.

"No one did anything in this case but accuse Martha Flores and charge her with a crime," Scalia told jurors. "That was the extent of their investigation."