SAN ANTONIO — The man at the center of a mystery involving a slain baby has learned his fate. Christopher Davila, the boyfriend of 8-month-old King Jay Davila's mother, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Davila will also have to pay a $1,500 fine. He pleaded no contest to the offense of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury or death.
King Jay was first reported missing on January 4, 2019. It was initially reported he had been taken from a west-side gas station, but he was later found dead in a field. Investigators determined that the kidnapping was a "staged event." Police began to suspect that the incident was an attempt to cover up foul play involving the baby.
Judge Kevin O'Connell explained that a no contest plea is very much like a guilty plea. The judge accepted his plea and also accepted the evidence presented to the court and found him guilty.
Judge O'Connell said Davila will get credit for all the time he has served. Because Davila entered into a plea bargain, he does not have permission to appeal.
When Judge O'Connell asked Davila if he had any questions, he said: “No sir, judge. I pretty much understand everything you’re telling me.”
After that, attorney Bob Behrens said, “Earlier, I wanted to make a request – might be considered unusual… And that was, for the court to consider finding him not guilty… There is no evidence of any kind – other than that Mr. Davila stated on his interview as to how it happened, which in his mind – in his interview, he stated was an accident. He’s guilty of paragraph A – we both agree to that, we know that, but I just don’t think there’s sufficient evidence to find him guilty of paragraph B.”
The judge replied, saying: “That request is overruled. I find him guilty in paragraphs A & B.”
Some felt the sentence was not harsh enough.
“I don’t want San Antonio to set a standard to allow monsters – people that murder children – to walk amongst the public,” Jasmine Anderson said, adding that she wanted to see Davila sentenced to life in prison.
Anderson founded King’s Angels, a child abuse support network, in baby King Jay’s name.
“I like to give second chances to people and believe that they can and will do better, but when you murder a child you don’t get that opportunity from me.”
She said she hopes King’s legacy will protect other children, since his case highlighted child and domestic abuse issues in San Antonio.