SAN ANTONIO – A 37-year-old man avoided a jury trial Thursday by pleading guilty in connection with the death of a 10-year-old girl.
Paul Bateman was charged with murder in connection with the fatal incident on Aug. 6, 2018.
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According to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, the child’s parents temporarily left her and her 1-year-old sister in Bateman’s care. The defendant told police that he had blacked out, found the child dead, and had no idea what had happened. The child died of blunt-force trauma to the head and chest. The younger child was unharmed.
Bateman appeared in the 379th District Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to the murder charge. A judge then sentenced him to 35 years in prison.
As part of the plea deal, Bateman will also serve five years in prison for a charge of assault of a public servant, which will be served concurrently.
The defendant also admitted guilt in a separate assault of a public servant case stemming from the same incident, which was taken into consideration by the court in determining the sentence, the DA’s office said.
Bateman had previously been found not guilty by reason of insanity in a prior case and had been institutionalized for 10 years in a state hospital, the DA’s Office said. The issue of insanity would have played a role in the litigation had the case proceeded to trial.
The case was assigned to the Family Violence Division of the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Lauren Scott and Meredith MacIntire handled Thursday’s hearing.
“The circumstances of this case were tragic. Our prayers and our hearts are with the victim’s family,” said Bexar County Criminal District Attorney Joe Gonzales, “May they now have some sense of closure, and may their child rest in peace.”