A DAD and stepmom are accused of leaving their eight-year-old daughter with severe burns, no fingernails, and torn skin after allegedly torturing her to death, according to police.
Police reports reveal that upon discovering Genesis Ariah Mata’s body in a California motel room on Saturday, an officer exclaimed, “Oh my God,” highlighting the horrific nature of the scene.
Lawmalt believe Genesis died on Friday following brutal torture sessions administered by her father, Ray Mata, 31, and his wife, Graciela Bustamonte, 27, as reported by the CBS affiliate KBAK.
Authorities were not informed until the next day, when they discovered her body in a bathtub at a La Quinta Inn Room in Bakersfield, roughly two hours northwest of Los Angeles.
Genesis suffered through two gruesome days of torture where the couple “worked in tandem” to pour scalding water on her, cops said in an affidavit.
The burns were so severe that the little girl’s skin started “ripping.”
An officer who was present when they found the victim noted she had more skin splitting on her head and large blisters covering her body, with her hair almost completely shorn.
There were also scars all over her back, and signs that she had been whipped, the cop said.
The report detailed how another officer entered and, upon processing the horrific scene, uttered, “Oh my God,” before covering his mouth.
The cop appeared to be in shock at the state of the girl’s body, the report said.
The little girl didn’t have any fingernails on her left hand, as the couple had allegedly smashed her fingers into door frames as a sick punishment, the documents allege.
In an interview with cops, Bustamonte admitted to watching Mata allegedly abuse his daughter and said that she let it happen.
She claimed that he would whip his children with a charging cord, wires, and hangers, and oftentimes hit their backs until they were bleeding.
Meanwhile, Mata pointed the finger at his wife, and claimed that she had conducted most of the abuse.
He accused Bustamonte of devising the idea to pour boiling water on the little girl so she would “listen.”
However, he went on to say after hearing his Miranda Rights that he beat his children and was responsible for their injuries.
The twisted dad told cops that he punched Genesis hard in the abdomen before she went unconscious and died, according to the arrest reports.
Bustamonte also admitted to participating in the torture that allegedly led to the little girl’s death.
TRAGIC CASE
Child Protective Services had an active case open for Mata. They started investigating him after staff at her school noticed his children would go missing and had visible bruises.
Mata and Bustamonte both appeared in court wearing prison jumpsuits to plead not guilty to the charges, which include first-degree murder, willful cruelty to a child, and torture.
The dad held documents up to block his face from the cameras that were in the courtroom.
They are expected to return to court later this month.
In a GoFundMe, a cousin of the little girl described the victim as being “full of life” with a “beautiful spirit.”
“Her life was stolen far too soon,” read the description.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 800 422 4453 or live chat at https://www.childhelphotline.org/.
If a child or other person is in immediate danger, contact 911 immediately.
