Sad! Texas Dad Sent to Prison After Repeatedly Smacking 2-Year-Old Son Over ‘Acting Gay’

Texas dad sent to prison after beating his 2-year-old child for being “too feminine?” Unfortunately, you read that correctly. Here are the grueling details.

According to a viral video, 23-year-old Francisco Ricardo Sotello Baez was recently charged with family violence and assault for attacking his toddler son over concerns that he’d grow up to be gay.

Per the legal proceedings, Baez confessed to slapping the youngster in the face until his nose began to bleed (and continuing to do so four more times) because he was “fearful” that the boy’s interest in Barbie dolls and kitchen playsets would someday reflect his sexuality. He argued that he preferred if the little one interacted with more masculine toys, including the trampolines, cars, and robots he’d bought, but the son refused.

In Judge Stephanie Boyd’s citing of the police report, the child’s mother (Baez’s wife) said the horrific incident wasn’t the first time that the father of five had taken physical action against the minor. She also told officials Baez would often go to “unnecessary” disciplinary lengths to “toughen him up.”

“He plays with the kitchen sets, so I guess males who are chefs… that’s like a [girl’s] job, right? Well, I mean, isn’t [that the same thing]? Wouldn’t that be considered a gay job then… if you have male chefs in the kitchen?” Judge Boyd of the 187th District Court in Bexar County challenged the defendant in the Zoom recording. “All these men who are walking around out here being chefs, you’re telling me that they’re gay?”

At the time, Baez attempted to say that he was under the influence of drugs, had just gotten into an altercation with relatives, and was dealing with his wife’s hospitalization. Following the occurrence, he texted her, saying, “You’re not going to like what I did. I hit your son.”

Along with the nosebleed, the boy suffered other injuries, which included bruises and swelling of the face. Baez claimed that he apologized for the matter, and it wasn’t his direct belief that the son “would be gay” but instead close family members.

How Long Was the Texas Dad Sent to Prison For? — A Brief Look at His Punishment

Baez pleaded no contest and applied for deferred adjudication. According to Law Offices of RJ Harber, deferred adjudication is “a type of judge-ordered community supervision (more commonly known as probation) that allows a person to accept responsibility for a crime without a conviction being placed on their record.” Ultimately, the prosecutor pushed for a six-year sentence due to the severity of the crime.

The (seemingly) remorseful defendant requested leniency and a second chance to care for his newborn and prove that he was working toward rehabilitation. However, due to Baez’s previous domestic violence history against his wife, Judge Boyd ruled that he was guilty, handing him a 72-month punishment.

“You have learned nothing,” she bluntly told Baez. “You beat up a two-year-old because you think your two-year-old is gay. And you want to toughen up a two-year-old? He’s two!”

Aside from the felony consequences, she ordered that he should have no contact with the victim, his other children, or any at all. Additionally, since Baez is not an official U.S. citizen, he won’t be allowed in the States if not legalized after his release.

The Effect of Homophobia Often Starting at Home

For many LGBTQIA+ individuals, their first experience with homophobia happened in the home. From mothers condemning their daughters for being so “ladylike” to fathers chastising their sons (as we see in this case) for wanting to dress up in their sister’s closet, at an early age, most are taught that gender identity lies within the toys they play with and the clothes they wear.

This type of upbringing has frequently led to confused teens and depressed adults fighting the fact that who they are on the inside conflicts with who they’re expected to be on the outside. Sadly, a wide number of members of the rainbow community have even tried to take their own lives because of this.

Per The Trevor Project, more than 1.8 million young people who are LGBTQIA+ (ages 13-24) consider suicide yearly in the U.S., with attempts every 45 seconds.

If you or anyone you may know is battling a similar situation, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline here: (800) 273-8255, or click this link to find your hotline of choice.

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