A San Antonio man, Juan Santos Huerta, has been sentenced to a 30-year prison term for his role in the neglect and death of his 74-year-old mother, Maria Del Socorro Huerta, who had been bedridden for years. On Friday, Mr. Huerta received his sentence after previously entering a no-contest plea to a charge of injury to the elderly under a plea deal, according to KSAT.

Details of the neglect include Mrs. Huerta being discovered at home by officers in a state of severe emaciation, having been left in her bed for approximately two years without proper medical care, adequate nutrition, or hygiene. Complications from this neglect led to her death in 2021, with the bed being found soiled and Mrs. Huerta suffering from infected open sores, as FOX San Antonio reports.

Mr. Huerta was previously found incompetent to stand trial but was later deemed competent. During his sentencing, Mr. Huerta's attorney argued that his client showed remorse for the death of his mother and requested deferred adjudication due to his lack of criminal history. However, Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl firmly denied this request, stating, "This is probably one of the most egregious cases I’ve ever seen," and adding, "This was your mother. I think you deserve every single one of those 30 years," as reported by KSAT.

In addition to the neglect charges, Mr. Huerta faces a pending Medicaid fraud charge. Allegedly he stole between $30,000 and $150,000 in his mother's healthcare provider checks, while employed as her personal care assistant but failing to provide the necessary medical attention for injuries that ultimately, led to her death. This information comes from the Texas Office of the Attorney General, according to KSAT's coverage of the case.