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Cledir Barros found guilty, sentenced in child cruelty in death of his 8-year-old daughter

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  September 16, 2024 5:28pm EDT
Gwinnett County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Cledir Barros verdict, sentencing hearing

Cledir Barros was found guilty of second-degree child cruelty in connection to the death of his 8-year-old daughter.

In brief:

    • Cledir Barros has been found guilty of child cruelty.
    • He was sentenced to 10 years.
    • This is the third trial for Barros, with both previous trials ending in hung juries and mistrials.
    • Barros' charges were reduced to child cruelty in the death of his 8-year-old daughter.
    • His wife still faces charges in the young girl's death and is awaiting trial.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Gwinnett County father has been found guilty of second-degree child cruelty in connection to the death of his 8-year-old daughter.

Cledir Barros was sentenced to 10 years, with 8 to serve in prison and 2 on probation, with time served being awaiting trial considered part of that sentence. He was also ordered to have no contact with his children during that time. 

This was the third time Barros was tried on the charge after two previous trials ended in hung juries.

Jury finds Cledir Barros guilty of child cruelty

A third Gwinnett County jury in the child cruelty case against Cledir Barros has found the father guilty after two mistrials.

Cledir Barros trial

Barros was charged with child cruelty in connection with the death of his eight-year-old daughter Sayra.  

Cledir Barros is on trial for child cruelty for a third time, after two hung juries. (FOX 5)

"I've never seen any of my kids get injured from spanking ever," Cledir Barros said.  

Barros took the stand for about two and a half hours on Friday morning. His wife Natiela is accused of beating his daughter Sayra to death with a rolling pin back in January. Natiela was Sayra's stepmother.  

SEE ALSO: State fires another DFCS worker over Barros child death case 

Prosecutors say Barros didn't do enough to prevent Sayra's death, claiming he knew of prior incidents of abuse by Natiela, and pulled her out of school to be homeschooled by her anyway.  

"She's a child, so there must be something that she's not able to control. So, we're gonna pull her from school because we have no problem at home," Barros said.  

Eight-year-old Sayra Barros died Jan. 30, allegedly beaten to death by her stepmom. This photo is from her funeral announcement.

However, the defense says Barros didn't know of any abuse and was away from home for a majority of the week due to his job as a truck driver.  

READ MORE: Cledir Barros faces third child cruelty trial 

Barros told jurors about why he told investigators he forgave Natiela after Sayra's death.  

"At the moment of this incident, I forgave her simply because the spirit of God led me to forgive her, not consented to what she did, which was terrible," Barros said.  

Natiela Barros faces a judge soon after being arrested in the "suspicious" death of her 8-year-old stepdaughter Sayra Barros. (FOX 5)

Natiela Barros faces three counts of murder, aggravated assault, and cruelty to children in the first degree. No word on when her trial is set to begin.