SAN ANTONIO – State and county leaders held a memorial Tuesday for a little boy who was tragically killed 20 years ago.
Jovonie Ochoa was 4 years old and weighed 16 pounds when he died on Christmas Day in 2003.
Family members starved him over several months in his grandmother’s West Side home.
The investigation into his death also revealed he had been tied to a bed frame, and his mouth was covered with duct tape.
The case sparked outrage and some change, but some local leaders are saying enough is still not being done to take care of children in Texas.
“Texas failed these kids, and it needs to stop,” Texas State Rep. Liz Campos said.
Campos has been pushing for change in Texas and for more training to be done for those who handle child abuse cases.
“DFPS (Department of Family and Protective Services) has dropped the balls,” Campos said. “The investigators need to be trained. They need to be involved. And if there is a recommendation for a child to be removed, they need to be removed.”
The hope moving forward is that no more kids have to suffer like Jovonie did.
The child’s grandmother, Maria Palacios, was sentenced to life in prison and is eligible for parole in 2034.