HOUSTON — A Houston mother who tortured her 5-year-old daughter "over a long period of time" was sentenced to prison Thursday for her beating death.
Andrea Webb, 24, was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to felony injury to a child for her role in the death of Samantha Bell.
“Children are the most vulnerable and most innocent victims that we see in the criminal justice system, and a parent’s duty is to protect them, not violently beat them,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said.
Webb initially claimed that Samantha died after falling from an apartment balcony in 2019.
When police asked why the girl was bruised all over her body, Webb admitted that she lied and made up the story. She said she'd repeatedly beaten the girl with belts and made her sit against the wall without the support of a chair for hours at a time and would beat her if she could not do the “wall sits.”
Investigators said the child had visible "injuries to her face, chest, abdomen, arms and back."
“This physical abuse went on for a long period of time and didn’t just happen on one day,” said Assistant District Attorney Gilbert Sawtelle.
He said Samantha died from old and new blunt-force injuries, including contusions and lacerations that resulted in pulmonary fat embolism, acute kidney injury and evidence of "systematic stress response." Her whole body was covered in scars.
“The little girl’s body just couldn't take it anymore,” Sawtelle said.
Webb's boyfriend, Devon Gibson, was also arrested and his case is still pending.
Editor's Note: The following video was uploaded in March 2019
