During the summer of 2020, Deyaneria Lopez was residing at Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa, Florida with her oldest son. Due to a paperwork issue, her toddler, Kayden Guerrero, couldn’t stay with them, so Lopez’s boyfriend, David Malave, agreed to watch after the little boy at night.
In June, David called Lopez in a panic. He said two-year-old Kayden had fallen out of the vehicle and was unresponsive.
“He was trying to do CPR, but [Kayden] wasn’t responding,” Lopez said during Malave’s trial for the boy’s death.
Kayden was rushed to the hospital, but doctors determined he was brain-dead. The toddler eventually died of his injuries, which included contusions to his torso, stomach, and rib cage.
However, a jury did not believe David’s version of the story. Prosecutors said the child was beaten to death; his blood was splattered all over the back seat of the vehicle.
In June 2021, David was convicted of first-degree murder and faced life in prison. This week, David appeared before a judge to officially learn his fate. He faced a mandatory life sentence.
At his sentencing, Lopez addressed the court.
“I hope the face of Kayden haunts you for the rest of your lonely, sad days,” she said. “I need you to know how you made me feel about what you did. I trusted you with my most prized possession, and you let me down in the worst way.”
David choose to remain silent during the hearing.
Tampa Judge Samantha Ward had her say, “You are adjudicated guilty I sentence you to life in Florida State prison and that is without the possibility of parole.”
He was also sentenced to an extra 35 years in prison on other remaining charges of child abuse.
