A Texas man was convicted of abusing his twin 6-year-old daughters and sentenced to life in prison after one of the girls died.
On Thursday, Justin Hopper, 33, was found guilty of injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury for abusing his twin daughters, a pattern of behavior that resulted in the death of 6-year-old Arianna Battelle, court documents reviewed by state.
Hopper was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole and was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
The jury deliberated for 15 minutes before reaching the verdict, KBTX reports.
In 2023, the twins’ stepmother, Jessica Bundren, was convicted of injury to a child intentionally causing serious bodily injury in the child’s death and sentenced to life in prison.
Hopper and Bundren physically abused Arianna and her sister for bedwetting and not eating fast enough, according to the probable cause affidavit, KBTXreported at the time.
As previously reported, Arianna was found dead on October 27, 2020, in her family’s home after Bryan police responded to a 911 call about a child not breathing, KBTX reported at the time.
Bundren initially told police said Arianna fell down the stairs and when she went to check on her later in bed, the girl wasn’t breathing, KHOU reported.
Officers found Arianna on the floor of her bedroom under a sheet. She had bruises on her face and legs and welts with puncture marks on her torso.
Bundren later told police she beat Arianna with a belt and made her sleep on the floor after wetting the bed, The Bryan-College Station Eagle reported.
A forensic nurse who said she has treated hundreds of children, testified that this was the worst abuse case she had ever seen, KTBX reports.
Kimberly Elias, Hopper’s stepmother, said she was pleased with the verdict.
“I think justice was served, and I think anything less than the maximum would’ve diminished the seriousness of the crime,” she said, KBTX reports.
Hopper will be eligible to apply for parole in 2054.
