Before sentencing, Jiryiah Johnson’s family testified on the impacts his death has had on them.
SAN ANTONIO — A Bexar County judge on Monday sentenced a San Antonio woman to 14 years in prison in connection with the death of a 1-year-old boy who was fatally attacked by dogs while she was babysitting him in 2024.
Heather Rodriguez was sentenced on one felony count of abandoning or endangering a child following emotional testimony from members of the victim’s family, who described the lasting impact of the child’s death.
The victim, 1-year-old Jiryiah Johnson, was attacked in October 2024 at Rodriguez’s northeast-side home. Authorities said Rodriguez had been caring for the child but left him in the home with her 13-year-old daughter while she was away.
According to investigators, three aggressive pit bulls inside the residence broke through a door and attacked both children. The teenager was injured, and Jiryiah suffered severe injuries. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died.
During Monday’s sentencing hearing, Jiryiah’s father, Julian Johnson, told the court that the loss of his son continues to affect him every day.
“It’s ruined me,” Johnson said through tears. “This pain I have is torturous.”
Jiryiah’s grandfather also addressed the court, recalling the moment he arrived at the hospital after the attack.
“I’m left with the image of him laying on that table,” he said. “I try to get that image out of my head, but I can’t.”
Rodriguez was charged with two felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child. Court records show she accepted a plea agreement in March and entered a no-contest plea Monday.
The judge sentenced Rodriguez to 14 years in prison on one of the charges. She will receive credit for the 601 days she has already spent in custody.
Family members said the tragedy has permanently changed their lives. During his testimony, Johnson remembered his son’s smile, eyes and curly hair, and described how the loss affected his relationship with Jiryiah’s mother.
“I think it changed me in a way where our relationship couldn’t be the same,” Johnson said. “It made me fear. It made me not trust the world. It made me scared that if I turn my back for a second, that I’d lose her too.”
The case drew significant attention in San Antonio following the child’s death and renewed concerns about the responsibilities of caregivers and the dangers posed by aggressive animals left in homes with children.