Sheriff: Texas Father Killed Infant Daughter During Sexual Assault

A man was arrested Monday and accused of sexually molesting and killing his infant daughter in Houston, Texas.

“Early on Monday, Aug. 24, Harris County Sheriff’s deputies were called to an apartment complex in the 15000 block of Westpark, where a baby wasn’t breathing,” according to ABC 13.

Emergency personnel treated nine-month-old Savayah Mason, then transported her to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

A news release from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) detailed the events:

HCSO Homicide investigators responded to the scene and began an investigation into the child’s death. An autopsy conducted at the Harris County Institute of Forensics indicated the child had been sexually assaulted and died due to asphyxiation during the assault.

Investigators interviewed the father of the child, Luis Luna, (08/15/97), and determined he was responsible for the child’s death. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office accepted charges of Capital Murder against Luna for the death of his daughter. On August 31st, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, along with several assisting agencies, arrested Luis Luna without incident.

In a tweet Monday evening, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez called the infant’s death “heartbreaking,” adding that it was the “worst type of cases. May this little angel Rest in Peace”:

Heartbreaking. Worst type of cases. May this little angel Rest In Peace. Good job by our Investigators and all involved. #HouNews https://t.co/Ba9IBDHxyw

— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) August 31, 2020

Twitter users expressed their thoughts about the case and sadness regarding the baby’s death.

“I have no words or understanding of how in the world anyone could do this to a child. It was his job to protect her,” one person wrote.

“God bless the investigators and the family. May justice preside,” another user commented.

A similar instance occurred in July when Houston resident Antonio Hicks Sr. was charged with murder after he allegedly beat his two-year-old son to death, according to ABC 13.

“We mattered to people when we were kids, so every kid should have at least a chance at life,” the child’s uncle, Kali Brown, said at the time.