Texas Mother Convicted for Tot Son’s Death After Claiming She Gave Him Away

A Texas woman has been sentenced to prison, following the 2021 disappearance and death of her toddler son.

According to News4SA, D’Lanny Reaneille Chairez pleaded guilty Tuesday to injury to a child by omission. A San Antonio judge sentenced her to 20 years behind bars.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, the case dates back to January 4, 2021, when family members said that Chairez and her son, 18-month-old James Avi Chairez, were last seen at a Walgreens store in San Antonio, on security footage.

The family, however, said they hadn’t physically seen James since Thanksgiving 2020.

When police located Chairez, her son was not with her, and she gave conflicting accounts on his whereabouts.

According to an arrest affidavit, Chairez told investigators that she thought about giving her son up for adoption. She claimed that she wanted her son “to be in a better place,” due to her mental health issues.

Chairez would later tell investigators that she gave her son away to numerous people, but didn’t supply any additional information.

During a search of her home, investigators uncovered human blood stains on a crib sheet. In May 2021, they discovered the child’s remains in the home.

“Twenty years with time served? Where’s the justice?” Marisol Benavidez, James’ aunt, said, according to KSAT 12. “She’ll be in her early 40s when she gets out. She can walk free and live her life. James never got that chance.”

Chairez, who had been serving in time in jail for tampering with evidence, received 1,604 days of credit.

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[Feature Photo: James Avi Chavez and D’Lanny Reaneille Chairez/Police Handout]