HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A Deer Park man who was on the run for months has been sentenced to 50 years in prison on two charges of injury to a child, one of them stemming from the death of a 2-year-old in 2019.
Inside the courtroom on Wednesday, crying and cheering could be heard from the family of the children as 25-year-old Austin Reid received the maximum punishment they were seeking.
The father of the toddler who died, 2-year-old Lucas Samora, told KHOU 11 that Reid's sentencing was long-awaited. He said initially he didn't want to hear the disturbing details, but ultimately felt as though he had to.
"I had to go in there and listen to it all, just to just to know exactly what was what had happened," said Ryan Samora, Lucas' father.
Reid pleaded guilty to injuring two children back in November. Lucas, who was the son of his then-girlfriend, died at a hospital in May 2019 from his injuries.
Then, in January 2020, Reid's four-week-old son had similar injuries but survived.
“I think this is the right outcome. I think a lot of people deep down think, 'Well, he should have gotten a lot more.' And I agree. But I was dealing with evidence that was given to me," said prosecutor Gilbert Sawtelle.
In court, they talked about Reid's drug usage at the time of the crimes. Officials told KHOU 11 Reid never showed up to his original sentencing hearing after he slipped out of his ankle monitor while out on bond. He fled to Colorado, where he was arrested in March and brought back to Harris County.
"That was a complete disregard for the freedom that the court allowed him for that moment to be on bond. He disrespected the court's orders," Sawtelle said.
During impact statements, Lucas' grandmother described his crimes against the two young boys as grotesque, saying there's not a sentence long enough for the pain he has inflicted.
Reid will have to wait 25 years before he's able to be considered for parole.
As far as his arrest in Colorado, he has five pending felonies and several other misdemeanor charges. Sawtelle said they include evading arrest, assaulting a police officer, giving a false ID, and breaking into a car, among others.
"If he ever gets out of prison in Texas, he would have to face those charges," Sawtelle said.
The mother of the two boys is still awaiting her court date. Her case is still pending as of this report.