Mom's boyfriend to be charged in death of girl hidden in closet
HOUSTON, Texas -- The boyfriend of a 27-year-old mother, who prosecutors say hid her own daughter's body inside an apartment closet, has been identified.[br /][br /]Prosecutors believe Santiago Esparza helped hide 5-year-old Sierra Patino's body. Esparza is expected to be charged with tampering with evidence on Thursday.[br /][Ads /][br /]Detectives say Sierra's mother, Priscilla Nicole Torres, wrapped the girl's body in a blanket and put her in a closet.[br /][br /]Police say Torres told them she was too scared to call 911 after her daughter died because she feared CPS involvement.[br /][br /]She allegedly said Sierra died from ingesting chemicals on Aug. 27, and her body had been kept in the closet ever since.[br /][br /]The Medical Examiner's Office is still working to figure out a cause of death.[br /][br /][b][url HREF="https://abc7chicago.com/texas-mom-hides-daughters-decaying-body-in-closet-for-a-week-police/5509488/" TARGET="" REL=""]RELATED: Mom arrested in connection to 5-year-old's body found decaying in hidden closet[/url][/b][br /][media ID="5513556" /][br /][br /]Torres was arrested and has been charged with felony tampering with evidence, a human corpse. Houston police have said more charges are possible.[br /][br /]According to information revealed in court on Thursday, Sierra started kindergarten on Aug. 21.[br /][br /]The next day, Torres allegedly said Sierra was sick and didn't go to school. By that time, Sierra was staying with her grandmother.[br /][Ads /][br /]Torres and Sierra moved to Esparza's apartment on Aug. 22.[br /][br /]Prosecutors said Torres claimed the girl died on Aug. 27. On Aug. 30, they said the mother and boyfriend checked into a Jacinto City hotel. They then spent the weekend in Galveston before returning to Houston on Labor Day.[br /][br /]Officers were called around 2:30 p.m. Monday to the Quail Creek apartment complex at 7835 Grow Lane in northwest Houston.[br /][br /]When asked about a foul smell inside the apartment, the mother confessed the source of the odor was Sierra's body, according to police.[br /][br /]Firefighters who found the girl's body covered it from view, describing it as being in a state of decay, according to police.[br /][br /]Prosecutors say Torres gave multiple stories to investigators, and changed them several times.[br /][br /]Defense attorneys told ABC13 that Torres is not responsible for her daughter's death.[br /][br /]She appeared in probable cause court on Tuesday, where her bond was set at $50,000.[br /][Ads /][br /]Prosecutors wanted Torres' bond raised to $100,000, saying they consider her a flight risk.[/url][br /][br /][media ID="5515987" /][br /][br /]If released from the Harris County jail, they fear Esparza might hide her in Mexico.[br /][br /]They accuse him of being a documented gang member with a group known as Tango Blast.[br /][br /]"Tango Blast has an extensive network in Mexico and could hide the defendant to hinder her prosecution," read the state's motion for high bond.[br /][br /]Esparza has faced a number of charges before for endangering a child, assault of a family member, evading, assault bodily injury and injuring a child.[br /][br /]In 2015, he was sentenced to four years of probation for endangering a child.[br /][br /][b][url HREF="https://abc7chicago.com/mom-arrested-in-connection-to-5-year-olds-body-found-in-closet/5512226/" TARGET="" REL=""]SEE MORE: Mom claims toilet cleaner spill killed her 5-year-old: police[/url][/b]
