MEDINA COUNTY, Texas — Twenty years after deputies with the Medina County Sheriff's Office made the heartbreaking discovery of a baby girl's body abandoned on a county road, her biological mother accepted a plea deal and will be heading to prison.
On Monday, the sheriff's office said Maricela V. Frausto, baby Hope Medina's biological mother, accepted a plea deal for her role in the tragic death of her daughter. She will soon head to prison to serve an 18-year sentence.
The newborn named "Baby Hope Medina" by deputies and the community as a symbol of a shared prayer and determination to find those responsible for the crime.
“The day Baby Hope was found, she became a part of us, a reminder of our duty to stand for the innocent and the voiceless," Sheriff Randy Brown said in a press release. "For 20 years, investigators have carried the weight of that promise. Today, with this conviction, that promise is fulfilled. While no sentence can undo the pain caused by this tragedy, today’s plea ensures accountability and resolution in this deeply emotional case."
Advances in forensic technology and consistent investigative work led to the arrest of Frausto back in 2023, after which a capital murder charge was filed against her.
Frausto will serve her sentence in a facility run by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.