Henderson mom pleads guilty in child’s death
Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005 | 9:42 a.m.
A 23-year-old Henderson mother pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder for the death of her 18-month-old daughter and multiple counts of child abuse and neglect in connection to her four other children.
As part of Sophia Mendoza's plea prosecutors have agreed not to oppose a move to make all of her charges run concurrently when she is sentenced by District Judge Donald Mosley.
Mosley will either sentence Mendoza to 10 to 25 years or 10 years to life in prison for second-degree murder in the death of Sierra Tisdale.
Mendoza faces the possibility of anything from probation to 8 to 20 years in prison for one count of felony child abuse and neglect and as much as a year in jail for each of three gross misdemeanor charges.
An autopsy found that her toddler, Sierra Tisdale, died of malnutrition and dehydration about three days before her body was discovered in the back bedroom of the house Mendoza shared with Demone Tisdale, her live-in boyfriend and the father of the children.
Mendoza and Tisdale was arrested Oct. 1, 2002, when the children's grandmother visited the home and found Sierra Tisdale dead in a bedroom and Jacob vomiting and having difficulty breathing.
Prosecutors said part of Sierra's body had been badly bitten by cockroaches and the children's health had been declining over a period of weeks or months. The couple's other three children -- a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 5-month-old -- also showed signs of neglect, police said.
Tisdale previously pleaded guilty to the same charges as Mendoza and was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison.
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Kruger hoping his team will play with grit
- Pricing out wagers on the Pacquiao-Cotto fight
- RTC bus driver fired, arrested after allegedly attacking woman
- Two second-graders involved in shooting at bus stop
- CityCenter Realtors hit with cut in commissions
- Privé owner files for bankruptcy protection in Florida
- Trainers scuffle at Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto weigh-in
- Shanghai’s maglev: Flying with both feet on the ground
- Hooters reports loss, says Chapter 11 possible
- Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs among stars in Las Vegas for Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight
Blogs
The Kats Report
New face of Monte Carlo includes all the faces of Caliendo
The Greene Room
Predicting this weekend's Mountain West football slate
Top Chef: Las Vegas
Top Chef Episode 11: Child's play
Miech Again
UNLV prez Smatresk is ready for some basketball (5 Comments)
Politics: The Early Line
Harry Reid's fourth TV ad begins running today
The Greene Room
Chad Ochocinco vs. Anderson Silva? That would be a sight ... (4 Comments)
Top Chef: Las Vegas
The Jet Stream: The three stages of chefdom
Calendar »
- 14 Sat
- 15 Sun
- 16 Mon
- 17 Tue
- 18 Wed
-
Pacquiao vs. Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena
MGM Grand Garden Arena | 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Friends of India Diwali Celebration at Cashman Field with Dan Nainan
Cashman Field | 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
-
Norm MacDonald at the House of Blues
House of Blues
-
Boulder City Art Guild Winter Fest Fine Art Show
Boulder City Parks & Recreation
-
John Fogerty at the Star of the Desert Arena
Star of the Desert Arena | 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s 5th annual Carnivale du Vin
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino | 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati









Post a comment
Commenting requires registration.
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Full comments policy.