SAN ANTONIO, TX – In a courtroom in San Antonio, Texas, a grieving father’s anguish was palpable as he watched a video of his deceased 5-year-old son, Domenic Aguilar Acevedo. The video, which showed the young boy expressing his love for his mother, was played during the sentencing of 29-year-old Daniel Garcia, who was convicted for the child’s death in 2021.
David Engwiller, Domenic’s father, was unable to contain his grief and anger. As the video played, he reportedly threw a water bottle and advanced towards Garcia, shouting threats before being escorted out of the courtroom by deputies.
Garcia was sentenced to life imprisonment by 226th District Court Judge Velia J. Meza for the brutal death of Domenic. The jury had previously found Garcia guilty of causing serious bodily harm to a child in May.
During the hearing, Domenic’s grandmother, Serline Acevedo, delivered an emotional victim impact statement. She mourned the loss of her grandson, who she said loved playing with his dinosaurs and sisters. She expressed her heartache over the fact that Domenic’s life was taken by someone who did not love him.
The court heard that in July 2021, Garcia, his daughter, his girlfriend Nickolle Aguilar, and her son Domenic were staying at an extended stay hotel in San Antonio. Garcia was known to physically abuse Domenic for minor issues such as not answering questions quickly enough or not eating fast enough.
Aguilar, during her testimony, recounted instances of Garcia’s abuse, including a time when he punched Domenic in the face, leaving his jaw misaligned. This pattern of abuse culminated tragically on July 24, 2021, when Garcia fatally injured Domenic by throwing him into a wall.
Authorities revealed that surveillance footage from the hotel showed Garcia carrying Domenic’s lifeless body to their car. Instead of seeking medical help, Garcia and Aguilar drove to Colorado, where they buried Domenic in a remote area.
Domenic’s disappearance was reported by his grandmother after Aguilar failed to account for his whereabouts. His decomposed body was later found in a ravine near the campsite. Garcia and Aguilar were arrested in Florida and extradited to Texas.
Garcia was initially charged with murder, but prosecutors pursued charges of injury to a child with serious bodily harm as a legal strategy due to the difficulty of proving a cause of death given the state of Domenic’s body.
Aguilar, who was initially charged with child abuse resulting in death, reached a plea deal with prosecutors. She pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of injury to a child resulting in serious bodily injury and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.