Houston Father Gets Life in Prison for Killing, Raping 8-Month-Old Daughter

Content warning: This story contains disturbing details.

A Texas father was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing and sexually molesting his 8-month-old daughter in 2020, authorities said.

Luis Luna, 27, of Houston, was convicted after a 10-day trial of capital murder in the August 2020 death of his 8-month-old daughter, Savayah Mason, the Harris County Attorney’s Office said in a press release shared on Friday, Oct. 4.

On Aug. 24, 2020, Harris County sheriff’s deputies were called to Luna’s apartment on a report that the infant had stopped breathing, according to the release. There, emergency medical personnel worked to help the infant, but she was unresponsive. The baby was then brought to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.

According to the district attorney’s office, an autopsy determined the infant died of suffocation, adding that there were marks on her neck and ligature marks that showed she had been bound. Authorities also noted that the baby had been sexually assaulted, per the release.

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Assistant District Attorney Edward A. Appelbaum, who prosecuted the case alongside Assistant District Attorney Sara Delgado, called the crime “one of the most horrific acts of violence imaginable,” adding “it’s the worst kind of evil in the world,” according to the release.

“This baby couldn’t walk or talk, and she should have been with someone who kept her safe, but instead he abused that trust,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. 

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.