03/23/2022 by Anne Tyler Melissa Lucio, a middle-aged mother, was sentenced to death for allegedly killing her two-year-old son. A psychologist who reviewed recent testing of Melissa said that Melissa has highly abnormal levels of vulnerability to police coercion because of her background. Questions over Mariah Alvarez's death and Lucio's role in it have lingered since the now-53-year-old mother was sentenced to death in 2008. Lucio's second-oldest daughter, 20 at the time of Mariah's death, said she told police and Lucio's lawyers that her 15-year-old sister would abuse Mariah when their parents weren't around . That's what crossed my mind. Isla Bryson Husband: Is Isla Bryson Married? In a video, a female officer asks the boy: "Did you see your sister fall down the stairs or did somebody tell you that she fell?" Lucio regained custody of the other kids in late 2006 after three older kids moved in with their father in Houston. In this undated photograph, Texas death row inmate Melissa Lucio is holding her daughter Mariah. Prosecutors said that Mariah's injuries were the result of physical abuse, while Lucio's attorneys say that her death was caused by a fall down the stairs two days prior. Lucio was convicted of killing her daughter, Mariah Alvarez, 15 years ago in . "And we intend on keeping that promise.". In a 2010 affidavit, one of Lucios sisters claimed to remember a different conversation in which Alexandra admitted to punching Mariah out of resentment for having to care for her while Lucio and her husband did drugs. Some of the children living with Lucio were previously taken from the home by Child Protective Services and placed into foster care when Mariah was three weeks old, in 2004. During her interrogation, Ms. Lucio asserted her innocence more than 100 times, until she was manipulated into falsely taking responsibility for some of Mariahs injuries by police officers. Isla Bryson Parents: Who Are The Parents Of Isla Bryson? "I was not gonna admit to causing her death because I wasn't responsible," Lucio said. Prosecutors, however, painted a different picture. Lucio is set to be executed on April 27 for the 2007 death of her 2-year-old daughter Mariah. Melissa Lucio Mariahs mother was found guilty of capital murder. At the time of her death, Mariah was healing from an injury to her arm, which the medical examiner also said was a sign of abuse. "Melissa Lucio has already thoroughly litigated the issues raised during her defense, including the theories that her statement was coerced and that her two-year-old daughter Mariah. We speak to one of Lucio's attorneys . Keller, P.J., joined except for points 4 and 11, in which she concurs. The application also states that the state medical examiner who performed Mariah's autopsy was told that Lucio admitted to abusing the girl and was accompanied by two of the interrogating officers during the autopsy. She had numerous bruises, bite marks on her back, pulled-out hair patches, and a broken arm. Ahead of the election, Mr. Villalobos sought to make an example in Ms. Lucios case, which helped him appear tough on crime. Today, the former district attorney is serving a 13-year federal prison sentence for bribery and extortion. [27] On April 17, 2022, in the main segment of another episode, called "Police Interrogations", Lucio's case was mentioned again as having every hallmark of a false confession.[28]. "I don't want to be in that room on April 27 to see her get executed," Michelle Lucio said. pic.twitter.com/QZc5YyJZvo (@truecrimewitch) January 15, 2019 She claimed that he was frequently physically abusive and drug and alcohol-dependent. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, pop culture, and human interest. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from the Innocence Project: Ms. Lucio is facing execution on April 27 for a crime that never occurred. Details about what allegedly happened in the interrogation room were also outlined in the clemency petition. During the interrogation, officers berated and intimidated Ms. Lucio, who was pregnant and in shock from the loss of her child, for five hours. Melissa Lucio's daughter Mariah Alvarez's autopsy photos got released earlier, and the results are unconvincing to experts like Dr. Thomas Young. She wasn't a perfect mother, but she made sure we were taken care of," he said. [3] Lucio says she was sexually abused by her mother's boyfriend for about two years, beginning when she was seven years old. They also claim that Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos had previously been accused of inadequately investigating over 100 claims of child abuse. Ms. Lucio is a survivor of life-long, repeated sexual assault and domestic violence. Lucio then had seven children with Robert Alvarez. Mariah's mother, Melissa Lucio was convicted of capital murder in this case. Grants Clemency To Julius Jones Hours Before Scheduled Execution Amid Public Pressure. Child Protective Services found that Lucios younger children were often left with their older siblings during a previous investigation into her for neglecting her children. Guarnera said she believes a practice used by police in Europe, called the Peace model, would help people in situations similar to Lucio's. In 2008, Melissa Lucio was sentenced to death in Texas for the murder of her 2-year old daughter Mariah, who died two days after a tragic fall down a flight of stairs. "If those threats in the interrogation are a trigger and she checks out, it can again be easy for her to just say whatever because she's trying to cope with what feels like a present threat.". The Lucio family went to the event to urge the governor to . Lucio told police Mariah fell asleep and did not wake up. Her supporters say she was . So you respond to threats, you respond to violence, you respond to demands, you respond to the escalating voice by saying, 'Yes, yes, I'll do it,'" said Mindy Mechanic, a forensic psychologist and professor emeritus at California State University, Fullerton. Only a barbaric people allow such depravity. Three jurors and one alternate in Lucio's trial have signed affidavits expressing doubts about her conviction. jsTikTok.async = true; Mariah was crying but did not appear to have any serious injuries, Lucio said. , in recognition of the fact that bite mark evidence lacks scientific validity and following the exoneration of a man in Texas convicted based on faulty bite mark evidence, the Texas Forensic Science Commission recommended a state-wide moratorium on the use of bite mark evidence in criminal cases. Greg Abbott to grant an execution reprieve or commute her sentence. They contend Mariah died from injuries from a fall down the 14 steps of a steep staircase outside the family's apartment in the South Texas city of Harlingen. She was interrogated for five hours by armed police officers who reportedly berated her. The little girl's mother, Melissa Lucio, claimed her daughter, Mariah Alvarez, had abrasions on her back and was covered in bruises because of a fall down a steep set of 14 steps two days earlier outside the family's new apartment. "She gets very emotional because no one believed her for so many years that she was innocent. Mariahs autopsy showed signs of a blood coagulation disorder, which causes profuse bruising throughout the body. As indicated by legal counsel at the Lucio Reassessment Watch group, Melissa is not at fault. In a previous investigation into Lucio for alleged child neglect, Child Protective Services found that his youngest kids were frequently left in the care of their older, teenage siblings. They also say Lucio wasn't allowed to present evidence questioning the validity of her confession. See additional information. "She was a good mother. tiktokscr.parentNode.insertBefore(jsTikTok, tiktokscr); Kim Kardashian has joined the fight to stop the execution of Melissa Lucio, a woman sentenced to the death penalty for the death of her 2-year-old daughter in 2007. He is now serving a 13-year federal prison sentence for bribery and extortion. Unprecedented pictures of Melissa Lucio 's examination have surfaced because of the absence of life column prisoner inside the narrative " Death by Mama" airs on ABC. under such coercive conditions. He can grant clemency if a majority of the paroles board recommends it. Mariah was the twelfth child of Lucio. During the interrogation, officers berated and intimidated Ms. Lucio, who was pregnant and in shock from the loss of her child, for five hours. Lucio, who is an inmate on Texas death row, is set to be executed on Apr. Ms. Lucio struggled at times to provide for her family, but was a caring mother, who did her best given her incredibly difficult circumstances. Updated on March 25, 2022, 2:30 p.m. Isla Bryson Children: Does Isla Bryson Have Children. . The parole board was scheduled to vote on Lucio's clemency petition two days before the execution. [8] She admitted to having spanked Mariah, but denied ever having abused her, which she repeated more than 100 times. Melissa Lucios husband Roberto Antonio Alvarez testified in the case about the death of his daughter Mariah Alvarez. In a previous investigation into Lucio for alleged child neglect, Child Protective Services found that his youngest kids were frequently left in the care of their older, teenage siblings. "Please allow us to reconcile with Mariah's death and remember her without fresh pain, anguish and grief. In a now-deleted tweet, Kardashian described the crime as a tragic accident. However, some of Lucios children have spoken out, insisting that their mother is guilty. You can learn more about how we consider cases here. "If you think about what's happening in an interrogation, that's a very parallel process.". Melissa Lucio was first sentenced to death in 2008 for the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah Alvarez. While Lucios attorneys contend that Mariahs death was brought on by a fall down the stairs two days earlier, prosecutors contend that Mariahs injuries were caused by physical abuse. Melissa Lucio is where she needs to be locked up behind bars for the death of her 2 year old daughter Mariah Alvarez. Mariah Alvarez: Melissa Lucio Daughter Mariah Alvarez Autopsy Viral on Twitter & Reddit. The boy then responded: "No, I saw her fall. Lucy Guarnera, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia who studies false confessions, said law enforcement often uses "behavioral lie detection" techniques that look at a person's actions to predetermine innocence or guilt. HOUSTON During hours of relentless questioning, Melissa Lucio more than 100 times had denied fatally beating her 2-year-old daughter. In 2008, She was convicted of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah Alvarez. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a134b9f398d2f98 Okay, let's kill them. "I think there's this thought or belief that if we give up the accusatory, guilt-presumptive, coercive style of American interrogations, it'll have bad consequences and we won't be able to convict people," she said. Lucio's lawyers say jurors never heard forensic evidence that would have explained that Mariah's various injuries were actually caused by a fall days earlier. Mariah Alvarez, daughter of Melissa Lucio, was a young little girl who lost her life at a very young age. I am now convinced that the jury got it wrong and I know that there is too much doubt to execute Lucio. Click to reveal "[10], During the trial, Lucio's recorded statements from her interrogation were described as a confession by Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos, who was seeking re-election at the time. Thank you for visiting us. She said she believes she falsely confessed in part because of a learned fear of violence. After nearly 15 years on death row in Texas, Lucio was granted a stay of her scheduled . It played at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2020, and won best documentary at the Raindance Film Festival. Liliana Segura, Jordan Smith. Her dad passed away when she was a baby so her family moved to the Rio Grande Valley where her mother grew up when she was still a little kid. In this undated photograph, Texas death row inmate Melissa Lucio is holding one of her sons, John. In this undated photograph, Melissa Lucio holds one of her sons, John. His father, who survived, led the effort to save Whitaker, saying he would be victimized again if his son was executed. Guarnera said these are excellent tips to follow, but pointed out that detectives often do the opposite when they believe someone is a suspect and not a victim. In this undated photograph, Texas death row inmate Melissa Lucio is holding one of her sons, John. The Rangers believed Lucio had killed Mariah on Feb. 17, 2007, saying that her unwillingness to make eye contact and her slumped shoulders were signs of guilt, according to a clemency petition filed on March 22. At 16, she became a child bride to escape. FilmRise By Maurice Chammah The detective handed Melissa Lucio a plastic doll and asked her to spank it. Studies have shown that even trained forensic dentists cant agree whether or not an injury is a bite mark. She was sexually abused by family members beginning at the age of 6. No physical evidence showed otherwise. American woman controversially sentenced to death, Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, List of death row inmates in the United States, List of people scheduled to be executed in the United States, List of women on death row in the United States, "Woman with Lubbock ties to be executed, many take up the cause to stop it", "Melissa Lucio is scheduled to be executed for a crime that may not have occurred", "Is Texas Sending Melissa Lucio to Die for a Crime That Never Happened? In the documentary, Alexandra does not recall these alleged confessions. At the time, Lucio said, the toddler didn't appear to be hurt, ABC News reported, citing court records. It would be an absolutely devastating message for this execution to go forward. But Ms. Lucios life is still in jeopardy. Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP. Though Selina believes her mother is guilty, she does not want her to be killed and says she signed the petition to request clemency for Lucio. Child Protective Services was present in the family's life, but there was never an accusation of abuse by any of her children, Potkin said. Abbott must undertake a meaningful review of Ms. Lucios innocence claim, the coercive tactics used in her interrogation, and the tragic circumstances of Mariahs accidental death, before an irreversible injustice occurs. Lucio, 40, of Harlingen was found guilty of capital murder for the death of her 21/2-year-old daughter, Mariah Alvarez. Alice Kelly is a senior news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Her husband and Mariah's father, Robert Alvarez, was sentenced to four years in prison for child endangerment. They found out that Mariahs arm had been broken two to seven weeks before she died. Shortly after Mariah was born, Lucio tested positive for cocaine use; as a result, authorities decided to place her children in foster care. Selina, the fifth of Lucios 14 children, initially came forward on TikTok back in 2021 after the release of The State Of Texas vs. Melissa, a documentary on Hulu that covers the case and Lucios fight to have her conviction overturned. My mother was never the abusing woman -- the monster that the district attorney Armando Villalobos, former district attorney, made it seem like," John Lucio said. Photos: Melissa Lucio Daughter Mariah Alvarez Autopsy - Melissa Lucio is the first Hispanic woman to receive a death sentence in the state of Texas. The hourslong interrogation ended with Lucio being coerced into confessing, her legal team has said, arguing that her past experiences with physical abuse and sexual assault made her susceptible to taking responsibility for her daughter's death even though, they said, she was innocent. Two of the officers who interrogated Ms. Lucio were present at Mariahs autopsy, leading to a biased autopsy process, and an incomplete investigation into Mariahs health history and causes of her injuries and death. since Ms. Lucios trial because it has no scientific basis. The woman, Melissa Lucio, a mother of 14, was found guilty back in 2008 in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah. Police contaminate the persons statement meaning they feed the innocent person crime facts or a specific narrative of guilt. "What victims learn to do in these relationships in order to survive the abuse or violence is they learn to capitulate, they learn to comply, they learn to appease. Greg Abbott and the Board of Pardons and Paroles in March of this year, arguing an unreliable confession and "unscientific, false evidence that misled the jury into believing that Mariah Alvarez must have been killed by physical abuse, when the evidence is actually consistent with a conclusion that Mariah died from medical complications after a fall" based on the declarations of various experts. "You're not making this firm division between a victim and suspect because a lot of times you don't know at the beginning who's a victim and who's a suspect.". Abbott and the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The Cameron County District Attorneys Office said Mariah was found at home with signs of abuse. At Ms. Lucios trial, the medical examiner testified that the bruises and injuries on Mariahs body could only have been caused by abuse. Photos: Melissa Lucio Daughter Mariah Alvarez Autopsy Melissa Lucio is the first Hispanic woman to receive a death sentence in the state of Texas. There is now evidence that all three of these things happened in Ms. Lucios case. As two experts on false confessions have determined, due to the officers tactics and Ms. Lucios vulnerability, her incriminating statements are not a reliable confession of her guilt, but rather are a regurgitation of information relayed to her from investigators throughout the interrogation.Lucio Successor Writ Application, at 136 (quoting David Thompsons Expert Report). Photos: Melissa Lucio Daughter, Mariah Alvarez Autopsy In the U.S. state of Texas, Melissa Lucio is the first woman of Hispanic descent to receive a death sentence. ET:This article has been updated to reflect the latest news in this case. Calls are growing for Texas to stop the approaching execution of Melissa Lucio, who says she was wrongfully convicted of killing her toddler Mariah in 2007. Sexually abused by family members beginning at the Tribeca Film Festival news in this undated photograph, Texas death inmate. 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