Sacramento man sentenced for killing 16-month-old girl, abuse of 3-year-old boy
A Sacramento man was sentenced on Tuesday, more than four years after he killed a 16-month-old girl and abused her 3-year-old brother in a West Sacramento hotel room. The details of the abuse may be disturbing to some readers.On Feb. 15, 2021, Derrick Dimone Woods was entrusted with the care of Amanda Owens and her brother. But when their mother returned, she found her daughter not breathing and her son injured. Woods ran away and jumped into a getaway car, officials said.The Yolo County District Attorney's Office said Amanda was found covered with a sheet, cold, and with her face swollen and covered in bruises. Amanda's brother had bruises on his face and body, along with red welts from being whipped by a charging cord. The 1-year-old died from her injuries.A 24-hour manhunt across multiple law enforcement agencies ensued as investigators worked to track down Woods. He was found walking out of an apartment in Sacramento and arrested. The trial was put on hold for a time as Woods was found not competent to stand trial, the district attorney's office said. But in September 2024, a judge found he was competent and criminal proceedings resumed.The district attorney's office said a criminal trial was set to begin last month, but Woods' confession was excluded from the proceedings due to his intellectual disability and the time between his arrest and when he was read the Miranda warning. Woods ultimately pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for Amanda's death, physical child abuse for the assault inflicted on her brother, and false imprisonment by force and violence for what he did to both children. He was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison. The court proceedings brought little to no comfort to Amanda's family. The district attorney's office said the children's mother told the court at the sentencing hearing that the entire court experience was traumatic, exhausting and emotionally draining. "These were brutal and heinous crimes against vulnerable children, by a very disturbed man," said District Attorney Jeff Reisig in a statement. "No amount of prison time will ever be enough in this case. We are heartbroken for the family."See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
