Woman Sentenced In Child's Death

A Union County woman has been sentenced for her role in the 2008 death of her 2-year-old adopted sister.

On Thursday, Lafayette County Circuit Judge Andrew Howorth sentenced Marainna Torres, 19, to 20 years in prison for manslaughter in the death of Ena Barreto. He suspended 15 years and gave her credit for the nearly two years she's been held in the Union County jail.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported that Ena Barreto's parents, Janet Barreto and her husband, Ramon, also are charged in the child's death, and face six counts of child endangerment and three counts of felony child abuse.

Authorities said the couple disappeared from their rural Union County home nearly a year ago and are being sought.

Barreto died from injuries to her head and torso after Torres threw her across a room and into her baby bed, the newspaper reported.

Testimony during Torres’ sentencing included a description of the living conditions of the home, which was said to be littered with soiled diapers and clothes, garbage and dog feces. The couple lived in the home with eight children they had adopted from Guatemala, the newspaper reported.