A man was sentenced in Tulare County on Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 35 years for the torture and killing of his 23-month-old son in 2020, prosecutors said.

Ezequiel Carlos Ramirez, 28, pleaded guilty during jury selection in March to first-degree murder with a special circumstance of torture, along with seven felony counts related to pimping, pandering, and soliciting prostitution, according to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

Authorities said Ramirez fatally abused his son, Joziah, inside a Visalia motel room on June 5, 2020, while the child’s mother, who was impregnated at the age of 15, was away. Prosecutors said the abuse had been ongoing and included verbal abuse and physically lifting the toddler by his hair.

Emergency responders were called shortly before 11 p.m. after the boy was found unresponsive and struggling to breathe. He was taken to Kaweah Health Medical Center and later airlifted to Valley Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced brain-dead and died on June 9. An autopsy determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

Struck, Shaken, Thrown, Kicked, and Burned

Prosecutors said the child suffered skull fractures, brain swelling and bleeding, rib fractures, and bruises, burns and abrasions across his body. The injuries were consistent with being struck, shaken, thrown, kicked, and burned.

According to prosecutors, Ramirez fled the motel before police arrived and evaded capture for about four days before being arrested in Fresno by Visalia police officers and a state fugitive apprehension team. Prosecutors said that while he was evading capture, he was recruiting women for his prostitution operation.

During questioning, prosecutors said Ramirez initially denied involvement before later admitting he was present and saying he “didn’t hurt his son that bad” and “didn’t cause that much damage.”

At the time of the killing, Ramirez was on parole for robbery and statutory rape and was barred from contacting the child and the boy’s mother, prosecutors said. Authorities also said he was involved in prostitution activities in Tulare and Fresno counties.

The child’s mother was charged separately with failing to protect her son. She pleaded guilty in 2021 to felony child abuse and is scheduled to be sentenced June 17, according to prosecutors.

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