GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County father took the stand during his re-trial for child cruelty to deny he knew of any abuse in his home prior to his 8-year-old daughter’s brutal death.
Cledir Barros testified in his defense on Monday, accused of not doing enough to protect his daughter, Sayra, before her death in January at their Gwinnett County home near Bethlehem.
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Two weeks ago, a judge declared a mistrial in the case against the father after a jury couldn’t reach a verdict.
Sayra’s stepmother and Barros’s wife, Natiela Barros, is charged with murder for allegedly beating Sayra to death with a wooden rolling pin while angry with her.
Cledir Barros testified he was on the road as a truck driver on the day of Sayra’s death and took a phone call from his wife where she explained that Sayra was dead.
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“She first hung up and I said, ‘Natee, what have you done!?’” Barros testified on Monday, describing his reaction to the phone call he got from his wife on January 30.
He said previous abuse never happened in his presence prior to Sayra’s death.
“In my heart, she’s not my wife,” Barros testified, “because this is totally against what we teach in our home.”
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Prosecutors say Natiela had injured Sayra multiple times in the past while attempting to punish her. Barros testified that he was on the road a lot as a truck driver and believed his wife when Natiela told him the previous injuries were from accidents.
“I never suspected anything like that was going on,” he testified. “She never struck Sayra in my presence. Now, I know she was lying to me.”
Prosecutors say neither adult called for immediate medical care for Sayra.
Natiela Barros is awaiting her own separate murder trial.
Closing arguments are set for Tuesday morning. A new set of jurors will be asked to decide Barros’ fate.
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