Kyle man gets life sentence after 7-month-old 'beaten to death'

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A Kyle man was convicted on a capital murder charge and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in connection with the death of a 7-month-old infant in June 2022.

According to the Hays County District Attorney’s Office, 34-year-old Mark Anthony Briones was babysitting Annalyne Fridley Benavides, his roommate's 7-month-old infant, prior to her death.

Nov. 1 would have been Annalyne’s third birthday.

The DA’s office said on June 20, 2022, Annalyne was taken to the hospital because she was not breathing and had no pulse.

At the hospital, doctors saw severe bruising all over her body, and she was life-flighted to a children’s hospital where she was later pronounced brain dead.

“Medical evidence that showed she had detached retinas, anoxic brain injury, and subdural & subarachnoid hemorrhages,” the DA’s office said in a statement regarding Briones’ sentencing. “Several medical experts testified that [Annalyne’s] injuries along with the bruising all over her body are consistent with being beaten to death.”

The DA’s office said during Briones’ trial, the jury was shown a photograph of Annalyne taken the morning before her death where she appeared to be healthy and without bruising.

“I’d like to thank the witnesses that testified in this case, and the jury for their verdict. It was an honor to fight for that sweet baby girl and to get to tell her story to the jury. We are very grateful for the verdict and we know Annalyne would have been proud,” Assistant Criminal District Attorney Katie Arnold said. “We hope in some way that her family can have some closure knowing that her murderer will be spending the rest of his life in prison.”