Man sentenced 20 years for killing toddler 8 years ago

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Just a period shy of turning 2 years aged successful this world, Julius Lopez was killed by blunt unit trauma successful 2017.

On Thursday morning, the antheral responsible, Gage Hurtado, was sentenced to 20 years aft entering a plea deal.

The victim's mother, Nicole Lopez, shared a fewer words reflecting connected the challenging 8 years she's endured since losing her son.

"There is nary betterment play for me. I americium inactive trying to retrieve each azygous day. The trauma lives successful my body, caput and each portion of my life," said Nicole Lopez.

In a erstwhile tribunal proceeding successful 2019, Nicole testified that Hurtado was her fellow astatine the clip and did not expect him to wounded her child.

"I would spot the mode they would play. He had kids of his own. From time one, helium did not caput that I had a lad of my own," said Lopez portion testifying.

The time Julius died, Nicole said she woke up and was getting acceptable for schoolhouse erstwhile Hurtado went extracurricular to usage her compartment phone.

Police accidental Hurtado called 911.

One serviceman described what helium witnessed that time during his grounds years earlier.

"I felt the baby. The babe felt acold to the touch," said Officer Joel Santos.

During sentencing, Nicole besides talked astir the heartache of not being capable to accidental goodbye to her child.

"What hurts the astir is being denied the accidental to accidental goodbye to my baby. The biologic begetter kept maine from attending the viewing services," said Lopez.

And shared alleviation that Hurtado would beryllium down bars for 2 decades.

"He stole a beingness that cannot beryllium returned. He stole my peace, and helium should not beryllium fixed the accidental to wounded different soul," said Lopez.

Hurtado has a agelong past of home unit that dates backmost to 2011.

Fresno County Senior Deputy Attorney Amy Cobb says cases involving kid maltreatment are preventable and hopes determination tin beryllium much acquisition astir the topic.

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