Father's girlfriend charged with murder in 7-year-old's starvation death in Newburgh

Saturday, October 9, 2021

Murder charge for father's girlfriend in 7-year-old's starvation death

A woman who worked as a childcare provider was charged with murder in the starvation death of her boyfriend's 7-year-old son in Orange County.

NEWBURGH, Orange County (WABC) -- A woman who worked as a childcare provider was charged with murder in the starvation death of her boyfriend's 7-year-old son in Orange County.

Leticia Bravo, 39, is facing second-degree murder and first and second-degree manslaughter charges.

According to the Orange County District Attorney, 7-year-old Peter Cuacuas was unresponsive and weighed just 37 pounds when Bravo brought him to St. Luke's Hospital in Newburgh just after 8:00 a.m. on February 10.

He was pronounced dead a short time later.

Prosecutors say Bravo became Peter's primary caretaker in September 2020 and that he would stay at her apartment all but one day of the week when the two would stay with the boy's father.

"We have one person responsible for the condition that sets everything in motion that leads to Peter's death and you have another person that saw it happening while it was going on and should have known to take some action and didn't," Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said.

Peter's father is charged with criminally negligent homicide.

Bravo allegedly kept Peter secretly locked in a bedroom without food.

According to prosecutors, Peter hadn't logged on for virtual schooling since January 2021, despite a number of conversations between Bravo and his school.

She faces 25 years to Life in prison.

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