Father sentenced in death of 18-month-old

By Matt Pordum

Friday, May 7, 2004 | 9:37 a.m.

A Henderson father was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison for his role in the death of his 18-month-old daughter and for neglecting his four other children.

Demone Tisdale pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Sierra Tisdale, one count of felony child abuse and neglect and three gross misdemeanor counts of child abuse and neglect.

Tisdale had unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw his guilty plea on April 26. He said in court that Deputy Public Defender Robert Amundson pressured him to plead guilty.

Tisdale's private attorney, Pete Christiansen, argued that Amundson was wrong to tell Tisdale he would most likely receive life in prison if a jury convicted him of the murder and child abuse charges.

District Judge Donald Mosley ruled that Amundson was right to inform Tisdale of all of the consequences to the charges he was facing.

Under terms of Tisdale's plea agreement with prosecutors, he will serve his sentences concurrently.

An autopsy found that his toddler, Sierra Tisdale, died of malnutrition and dehydration about three days before her body was discovered in the back bedroom of the house Tisdale shared with 20-year-old Sophia Mendoza, his live-in girlfriend and the mother of the children.

Mendoza also faces second-degree murder as well as other charges. She is scheduled for trial Feb. 22, 2005.