A Long Beach man pleaded guilty Monday to felony charges of child abuse and child endangerment, resulting in a sentence that includes 15 years behind bars.
Omar Deluna was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Randi P. Mueller, who handed the perpetrator to 30 years, suspending 15 years and leaving 15 years to serve in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Upon getting out of prison, Deluna will be required to complete five years of post-release supervision. He did not have a criminal record before the incident.
The investigation began when the Long Beach Police Department received a call from a local school reporting that a six-year-old student had not shown up for class. Another student informed school officials that the victim was absent due to abuse by Deluna.
According to court documents, law enforcement and Child Protective Services responded to the residence on Rosie Drive, where they found an active marijuana plant growing in the garage and evidence of child abuse. Both Deluna and his wife, Angela Weigel, were arrested.
“During [forensic interviews], it was disclosed the defendant had become frustrated with the victim while going over schoolwork, threw the victim against a wall, and choked him,” Assistant District Attorney Matthew D. Burrell said.
Weigel was charged with accessory after the fact to felony child abuse and felony child endangerment. She pleaded guilty and, during her plea, told the court that she did not observe the choking but did observe markings on the child’s neck after returning home from work.
Weigel was previously sentenced to eight years in prison. She testified that her husband admitted to abusing the child.
