A Nevada woman killed her stepson because she felt disrespected. Now, she heads to prison for over a decade.
District Judge Carli Kierny handed Patricia Atalig a life sentence in prison with the possibility of parole for the beating death of 4-year-old Marcel Foster, also known as “MJ.” Atalig pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse.
“She took out every ounce of aggression and anger she had on MJ and left him there to die,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Michelle Jobe, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal.
On Jan. 21, 2022, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to a residence near Lake Mead Boulevard and North Walnut Road after they received a distress call about an unresponsive child. Later, an autopsy report showed the boy had suffered multiple skull fractures, bleeding in his brain, a fractured arm, abdominal injuries, and bruising on his neck that suggested the child was strangulated.
Though Atalig initially claimed the boy’s father had abused Foster, she later confessed to hitting the boy’s head on the ground twice and hearing a pop sound. In addition, a witness who was at the residence at the time told investigators Foster had refused to eat his lunch and was disrespectful to the defendant. Soon, he heard Atalig spanking the boy in his room and a noise indicative of something hitting the ground, reported 8NewsNow.com.
During the sentencing hearing, Atalig’s defense lawyer Anna Clark told the court her client had no excuse for the violent act committed but claimed she had been under the influence of alcohol and marijuana. Furthermore, Clark described Atalig as a damaged person and stated she was uncomfortable talking about it in court with everybody listening.
Despite Clark’s appeal to the judge, Kierny remained resolute and described the crime as awful.
Atalig will be eligible for parole after serving 12 years in prison.
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