DALLAS (AP) — A Texas mother has pleaded guilty to causing injury to her child who died from abuse.
Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson announced Jeri Quezada’s plea Wednesday.
The case against the 31-year-old stems from the death of her 4-year-old daughter Leiliana Wright in March 2016. Leiliana was found beaten to death after Child Protective Services workers failed to check in on her multiple times.
Quezada also has a history of drug abuse and previous encounters with CPS.
Leiliana’s death is one example of Texas child abuse investigators struggling to check on children in a timely manner because of the huge workload and high staff turnover.
CPS fired two employees and a third resigned in April 2016 after the agency was accused of failing to prevent Leiliana’s death.