Texas Woman Guilty In Kansas Woman's Death And Stealing Baby
WICHITA, Kansas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - A Dallas woman has been convicted of killing a new mother in Kansas and kidnapping her baby.
A Sedgwick County jury on Tuesday found 36-year-old Yesenia Sesmas guilty of first-degree premeditated and intentional murder, kidnapping and interference with parental custody.
Prosecutors say she shot 27-year-old Laura Abarca in November 2016 at Abarca's Wichita apartment and abducted 6-day-old Sophia Gonzales.
The baby was found safe about two days after the abduction at Sesmas' apartment in Dallas.
Investigators said after Sesmas faked a pregnancy when she lost her unborn child, she drove to Wichita and Abarca in the head. The two women had worked together in the past.
Sesmas had contended Abarca agreed to give her the baby after Sophie was born but changed her mind at the last minute.
"I just wanted to threaten her, if she wouldn't give her to me, but the gun went off," Sesmas said behind a glass partition at the Dallas County Jail back in November of 2016.
Sesmas had known the baby's mother for years and had spent some time in Wichita before returning to Texas to live several months ago, Wichita police Lt. Todd Ojile said in November 2016. She traveled to Wichita to kidnap the baby, he added.
"She had already had three abortions and she didn't want the baby," said Sesmas. "I told her I had lost a baby, and asked if she would give me her baby, and she said yes."
The FBI joined in the investigation with 25 agents working on the case, Ojile said.
The baby was inside the home along with Sesmas. Also living there were Sesmas' boyfriend along with the suspect's son and niece.
"I'm responsible because I shot her, but it wasn't intentional," said Sesmas in jail back in November 2016.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)