A San Bernardino father and his girlfriend were sentenced to more than 30 years for torturing and killing his daughter, 4-year-old Samiah Downing in 2012.
The jury sentenced Ronald Greer, 29, and Bianca Stanch, 27, to 32 years to life each.
“Unfortunately, because of the actions of her father and his girlfriend, Samiah wasn’t here to tell her own story to the jurors. Thankfully, the evidence at trial told the tragic story for her,” Justin Crocker, the San Bernardino County deputy District Attorney who prosecuted the case said according to the Victorville Daily Press. “Samiah was betrayed by the people closest to her, and they have now been held accountable for that betrayal.”
The Victorville Daily Press reports that Bianca Stanch dispised the little girl and beat her daily. Her father did nothing to stop it.
The San Bernardino County District attorney, county prosecutors, evidence presented at the trial and witnesses said that the couple would deny the 4-year-old water, poured boiling water on her back and chest, locked her in her bedroom, and forced her to stand in a corner for as long as eight hours a day.
“On one occasion, Samiah was able to get out to the kitchen where she drank the only liquid she could find, which was a cleaning solution,” the DA’s Office said.
On the night the child was found dead, she’d been left in the apartment with Bianca Stanch’s cousin, Rayshawn Stanch.
According to court records, Stanch, who reportedly drove with the couple to bury Samiah after she died, pleaded guilty in 2013 to willfuly cruelty. He had the murder and torture charges dismissed. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 23.
The little girl died on or about Dec. 15, 2012. Greer, Bianca and Rayshawn Stanch drove her body to the desert and buried her.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s investigators arrested the trio on Dec. 28, 2012, after finding Samiah’s body in a shallow grave near Baker, the Daily Press reported.
An autopsy found that Samiah died of dehydration and was severely underweight for a child her age.