LAURENS, S.C. – A Greenville mother says her 1-year-old daughter’s father beat her into a coma at his Laurens home in early 2015.
Joseph Morales pled guilty in court Monday and has been sentenced to 18 years in prison.
He will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. He has already been in jail about 400 days.
Kaya Thomas said her daughter Egypt Morales was left in a coma after February 23, 2015. She said it happened during one of Egypt’s bi-monthly visits with Morales.
“I’m so hurt. I’m still hurting now. I’m destroyed. I’m angry,” Thomas said at the time. “My baby was so innocent. She was a happy baby. She loved me. She loved her sisters. She was attached to me. She was just starting life. And someone who could just do this to my child — no.”
Laurens police arrested Egypt’s father Joseph Kevin Morales.
The warrant for Morales’ arrest says he “did maliciously inflict great bodily injury” on his daughter, which “endangered the life and health” of the child.
“It’s like my body was just trying to shut down. I had to take a breather. I went in the bathroom and I just broke down crying,” Thomas said.
Thomas said the unlawful conduct toward a child charge does not go far enough.
“I don’t want him to see daylight, never see daylight ever again,” said Thomas.
A S.C. Law Enforcement Division background check on Morales reveals he has no criminal record.
Thomas said her ex-boyfriend had never shown signs of aggression.
“I never had no signs that he would even do this. He always used to text me that he loves his baby, he wants to have a bond with her,” she said.