Woman gets four years for beating adopted son

Woman gets four years for beating adopted son

Prosecutor says there was a pattern of abuse

July 11, 2008

RYAN ORR

VICTORVILLE — A Victorville woman was sentenced Friday to four years in prison for beating her 13-year-old adopted son with a belt.

Jacqueline Ann Lerma, 46, was convicted in June of corporal injury to a child for hitting her adopted son numerous times with a belt after he talked back to his father and sagged his pants.

Deputy District Attorney Brieann Durose asked for the midterm sentence of four years.

“The only thing she really had going for her is that she has never been to prison before,” Durose said.

Just before the sentencing, one of Lerma’s older adopted sons admitted that he had also been struck by his mother.

“It was clear there had been a pattern of abuse for sometime and it was not one isolated incident,” Durose said. “The sentence was absolutely appropriate.”

During the trial, her 13-year-old son, who had previously been one of her foster children, said that Lerma also choked the breath out of him on the day of the belt beatings.

The boy’s name is being withheld to protect his privacy.

During her testimony, Lerma admitted to hitting her son on the butt and legs with a belt, but denied hitting him on the back or arms despite pictures depicting several marks in those areas.

Lerma also admitted that she probably hit him pretty hard to be able to leave the welts on his body.

Ryan Orr may be reached at 951-6277 or rorr@vvdailypress.com.