Victoria Dalton, a San Antonio, Texas girl obsessed with the
macabre, acting as a babysitter for two children, Timothy and Renee Gutierrez,
aged five months and two years, respectively, used her hand to smother each to death.
No motive could be cited
by investigators other than the girl’s obsession with gruesomeness.
The Galveston Daily News reported that prosecutor Juanita
Vasquez-Gardner “portrayed the girl as a streetwise kid who was fascinated by
horror. A few days before the killings, according to testimony, Dalton received
a belated Christmas gift — a plastic replica of a human skull used for burning
incense. Dalton named the skull “Pequena,” the nickname of Renee Gutierrez, and
said she gave it the name because she wished the 2-year-old were dead.” “She
loves anything that stands for Halloween – darkness, masks, scaring little
children,” said the prosecutor.
On Nov. 10, 1995 a jury found the young murderess guilty and
she was sentenced to “as many as 14 years in custody.” It was decided that at
the age of 18 a determination would be made as to whether she had been
rehabilitated.
[Robert St. Estephe; sources: “Baby-Sitter, 13, Sentenced
for Killing 2 Children.” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 11, 1995; “Girl,
13, sentenced to 14 years in slayings,” Galveston County Daily News (Tx.), Nov.
11, 1995, p. 6-A]
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More cases: Youthful Borgias: Girls Who Commit Murder
***
[4648-12/2/15]
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It was revealed in Dr G Medical Examiner who was involved in the case, that Victoria Dalton was placed in a no-win situation where the adults in her life (there were two sets of adults & eight children living together at the time of the murders) expected Victoria to be the primary caregiver for these children even when adults were present in the home. The adults also would punish Victoria whenever any of the kids under her care irritated any of the adults! At the time of the murders, her mother was out of the house and her mother’s boyfriend was home watching TV while Victoria was watching all the kids. The house was in shambles, filthy and the children were all unkempt. There had already been a mysterious death with a previous child in the family where the mother had been suspected. Victoria may have been conditioned to harm others by this very dysfunctional setup by avoiding punishment when she prevented the baby and toddler from crying when she ultimately suffocated both of them. It could have been the only way a twelve year old could see her way out of being constantly scapegoated for everyone else’s transgressions she was being held accountable for.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you find out about this? I am trying to research this case.
DeleteI just watched this case on Dr G medical examiner
DeleteI just watched this episode as well. It's up on Youtube. Heartbreaking situation.
DeleteExactly why do they let people like this out . Unbelievable
DeleteThat sounds very plausible. Victoria was a victim. Her mother had much more to do with the situation than she claimed. I think she made Victoria take the blame. Victoria was afraid of her and wanted to please her. It was painfully obvious the girl was starved for love and attention. She cried herself to sleep every night she was in our unit. I hated to see her go to prison.
DeleteThis 12yr old is a serial killer and should have never been released.
ReplyDeleteAfter she killed the two children the police (knowing that she murdered both children) still let her go free. Child services sent her to live with her grandmother instead of going back to the house where she killed them.
As soon as she began living with her grandmother it didn't take her long to kill again. This time there were no little children around that she could kill, so she killed her grandmother's dog. Her grandmother had a close companion in her 11yr old poodle. Unfortunately for her dog his days were numbered when she brought her psychopath granddaughter into her home. Victoria stangled/smothered her grandmother's poodle the same way she murdered the children.
What concerns me is ... why was she ever released and where is she now? How many humans, and animals has she killed since her release?
I don't believe this crap for one minute. Victoria was no killer.
DeleteExactly. She will never stop being evil
ReplyDeleteVictoria was not evil at all. Quite the opposite. I remember her well. She was just a child. She was very affectionate and sweet. She didn't smother those children. She took the blame for it.
DeleteWhere is Victoria now and what is she doing for a living?
ReplyDeleteShe smothered the 2 year old with a pillow not her hand.
ReplyDeleteAre you Victoria??
DeleteDamn! Little monster, wonder how many others she has killed?!
ReplyDeleteI read in a post of someone who said met her mother. Said that her "guard" got her pregnant..
ReplyDeleteDidn't mention what guard or at what age it happened..or if the child is still alive..
I found her on Facebook. She now has a son that is about 13 yrs old.
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ReplyDeleteShe still likes macabre things, as I could see on her Facebook page. She is found as "Tori Ledesma". Her profile pic is of her and a cat.
ReplyDeleteI was a juvenile corrections officer at the first unit Victoria was sent to after she was convicted. Victoria was the sweetest child. I will never believe she murdered two children. She doesn't have it in her to do that. She was living in a dysfunctional home. Her mother was abusive and I think she set her daughter up to take the rap for her. Victoria was a victim as much as those children were. It broke my heart to know that sweet child would be in prison for her whole life. She was only 13 years old. She couldn't aid in her defense. She said what her mother told her to say.
ReplyDelete