Stockton man who physically abused infant son to death gets 50 years to life
STOCKTON — A Stockton man was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for physically abusing his two-month-old baby to death, prosecutors said Monday.
Mathew Garcia was convicted in early February of one count of child abuse resulting in death, one count of child abuse with a great bodily injury enhancement and misdemeanor child abuse, the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office said.
Garcia, 28, was arrested in mid-November 2020 after the infant, Emiliano Garcia, was admitted to UC Davis Medical Center with major injuries.
According to the DA's office, Amber Navarro, Emiliano's mother, first noticed a red spot and a white patch on the baby's mouth on November 10, 2020, and sought medical attention. Emiliano was diagnosed with thrush and sent home, but later that night, he developed a fever, irregular breathing and seizures while under the care of his father.
Evidence revealed that Emiliano's father had repeatedly physically abused him. That abuse included Mathew Garcia shaking and kicking Emiliano and violently shoving a bottle in his mouth. The DA's office said it was also discovered that Matthew Garcia had thrown Emiliano into a bathtub just days before his death and never sought medical attention for a "mushy spot" on the baby's head, nor informed the mother of what happened.
Emiliano Garcia died in the hospital on November 14, 2020. His cause of death was determined to be severe craniocerebral trauma, resulting from being violently assaulted, the DA said.
In the days after Emiliano's death, CBS Sacramento learned that Matthew Garcia had a criminal history and would have still been in prison if not for an early release that was granted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Garcia was arrested the previous year and had been serving time for a felony burglary and attempted robbery conviction related to a home invasion with five young children in an apartment.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Garcia was supposed to be released from prison in December 2020, but that he had amassed enough pre-sentence and in-custody credits to qualify him for an early release under the governor's 180-day pandemic release order during that time.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
11 minutes ago
- Washington Post
D.C. attorney general alleges violence intervention nonprofit misused funds
The District's attorney general has alleged that a nonprofit group hired by the city misappropriated funds that were supposed to go toward preventing gun violence in the Congress Heights neighborhood. In a lawsuit filed this week by D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb, the city is seeking to recoup more than $250,000 in government funds that went to Women in H.E.E.L.S. (Healing, Elevation, Empowerment, Love, Support) Inc. The group signed an agreement with the attorney general's office in March 2022 to operate one of four new violence-reduction program sites as part of the office's Cure the Streets program, according to the suit.
CBS News
17 minutes ago
- CBS News
South Florida firefighter arrested on child pornography charges, officials say
A 51-year-old Boca Raton firefighter, who is a Miami-Dade resident, is facing charges of possessing child sexual abuse material, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Alejandro Fernandez Callegari was arrested Thursday in Miami-Dade County. Cyber tip leads to investigation The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip reporting a user uploading multiple files containing child sexual abuse material, deputies said. Legal processes confirmed Fernandez as the owner and user of the reported account, authorities said. Details of charges Authorities said Fernandez uploaded explicit images of children, according to the arrest report. On June 19, 2025, detectives responded to Fernandez's address, where he invoked his right to counsel and was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Facility without incident, authorities said. Boca Raton responds The City of Boca Raton placed Fernandez on administrative leave following his arrest, according to a statement from the Boca Raton Fire Department. The city stated that the allegations do not reflect its values or standards and declined further comment due to the active criminal investigation.
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Million Dollar Beach House' Alum Sara Burack Dead at 40 After Hit and Run: Reports
Sara Burack, a real estate agent featured on Netflix's Million Dollar Beach House, has reportedly died. She was 40. Burack had been found unconscious on the Montauk Highway in the Hampton Bays on early Thursday, June 19, according to News12 Connecticut. Local Southampton Town Police officers confirmed to the outlet that Burack had been hit by a vehicle. Greater Long Island further reported that Burack had been found by law enforcement officials with injuries that indicated she was struck by a car. They had received a 911 call at 2:45 a.m., alerting them of an unconscious woman. Upon arrival, Burack was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where she ultimately died. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, with the police claiming that the driver fled the scene. Further information has not yet been shared. Do Selling Sunset's Stars Actually Sell Homes — And How Much Do They Make? Burack worked for Nest Seekers International, a Manhattan-based brokerage featured on 2020's Million Dollar Beach House. 'Viewers will be taken into the world of the Hamptons where they will see not only beautiful multimillion-dollar beach homes and estates, but will be shown summer in the Hamptons pre-COVID,' Burack told in 2020 ahead the reality TV series' premiere. 'With scenes from broker open houses, polo games, yacht life and more, there is sure to be an 'Awww' from viewers.' Burack had spent time in the Hamptons for 11 years, eventually turning her passions for real estate into a career. "My family has a commercial construction material sales business that I spent many years of my life working for,' she told the outlet. 'I have always been intrigued by real estate projects and decided to become a broker after my experience as a summer property manager in the summer house I would rent.' She added, 'The Hamptons market has primarily been a second home market, many buyers use their properties as a getaway or an investment property, so they are purchasing homes to reflect this. Buyers go all out with these homes.' According to Burack, many of her NYC-based clients were 'looking for space and yards' in a second home. "With the ability to work from home, many New York City residents are spending more time in the Hamptons and by default want to be able to have their families with them,' she said. 'Selling the Hamptons' Returns for Season 2: Inside $150 Million Mansions and Billion Dollar Deals After the end of Million Dollar Beach House, Burack sold properties in Miami. "Picture perfect water views from this property. Live in your paradise,' she wrote via Instagram in 2021. Burack also was licensed to sell yachts to luxury clients. 'Our Next New Adventure!!! Let's goooo!!! Yacht Broker,' she wrote via Instagram in July 2022. Nestseekers' brand replied with a '🙌' emoji.
