Katherine Nadal Sentenced To 99 Years For Mutilating Son, Blames Family Dog

Katherine Nadal, a 28-year-old mother from Texas, has been sentenced to 99 years in prison for mutilating her infant son by cutting off his genitals. Nadal will have to serve 30 years of her sentence before she will be eligible for parole, something which prompted her son’s paternal aunt, the excellently-named Patches DeShazo, to announce in court that she was happy Nadal would be beyond child-bearing years when released.

Throughout the trial, Nadal insisted that she did not harm her son, who was 5 weeks old at the time of the attack, but that the family’s 7 pound dachshund, “Shorty,” was responsible. Prosecutors maintain that Nadal, high on cocaine, methadone and Xanax, had attacked Holden Gothia with an unspecified sharp object. The newborn survived, but his genitals were not found. Medical reports indicated a dog could not have produced the symmetrical cuts found on Holden’s body, and that some sort of other object had to have been used. 

Nadal told jurors that she had not hurt her son, merely “failed him.” This prompted Holden’s father , Camden Gothia, to retort “You abused him when he was in the womb,” presumably referencing Nadal’s drug use, before leaving the court room in anger. 

Nadal’s case automatically calls to mind that of Otty Sanchez - the mother who mutilated and consumed parts of her newborn son. The father of Otty’s son suggested she be put to death for her crime. The similarities between the two cases are many: Both mothers have a history of drug abuse, both were likely emotionally and psychologically unable to care for their infant sons, both have family members who are quick to demonize them for their actions, yet did not step in and try to get help for these women or their children before it was too late. 

The concept of it “taking a village” may seem trite to some, but it is especially true in cases like these where someone is not able to fully control their own thoughts and impulses because of rampant drug use and/or mental illness. The responsibility then falls to their loved ones - or at least their child’s loved ones - to intervene, get them help and, above all, make sure these children are safe.

What Otty and Katherine did was terrible. There’s no doubt about that. But what is most infuriating is that it could have been prevented had someone - anyone - stepped in and said, “You are sick. You can’t care for this child. Let’s get you some help.”

Texas mother gets 99 years for mutilating son [AP]