Texas Father Who Punched Son Sentenced to Six Years for Beating Him Over Fears He Might Be Gay

Francisco Ricardo Sotello Baez, a 23-year-old from Texas, has been sentenced to six years in prison for assaulting his two-year-old son, believing the boy might be gay. Sotello admitted to repeatedly hitting his son in the face, leaving the child bleeding from the nose. He later pleaded “no contest,” meaning he did not admit guilt but accepted the punishment as if he had been found guilty.

The assaults were reportedly motivated by Sotello’s belief that his son was acting effeminately, as the child preferred playing with toys like Barbies and kitchen sets instead of cars and robots. Sotello allegedly wanted to “toughen up” his son, influenced by remarks from the boy’s mother and grandmother, who speculated that the child might be gay.

After the beating, Sotello texted the boy’s mother, telling her he had done something to “your child” that she would not like. In court, Sotello expressed regret for his actions and asked for leniency, citing his responsibilities as a father to a newborn and claiming he had started attending church to change his life. He also blamed his actions on drug and alcohol abuse.

At the sentencing, Judge Stephanie Boyd of Bexar County’s 187th District Court expressed disbelief over Sotello’s rationale for attacking his son. “Basically, you beat up a two-year-old because you think your two-year-old is gay, and you wanna toughen up a two-year-old,” she said, emphasizing the child’s young age. Boyd also noted Sotello’s history of domestic violence, including previous assaults on the boy’s mother, told Pink News.

Despite prior court-mandated interventions aimed at curbing violent behavior, Sotello’s pattern of aggression persisted. In addition to the six-year prison sentence, Sotello was banned from contacting his son, any of his other children, and all minors during and after his sentence. He is also prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition due to the domestic violence nature of his crime.

Sotello, who is undocumented, was informed by the judge that he would not be allowed to re-enter the United States after his release unless through legal means. His lawyer acknowledged that Sotello may face deportation following his sentence.

Judge Boyd delivered a stern message, advising Sotello to reconsider having more children. “If you’re going to be violent, then you shouldn’t really be around children, you shouldn’t be having more children,” she stated.

Sadly, this case is not an isolated incident. Other parents have similarly committed acts of violence against their children due to homophobic beliefs, including abandoning or even killing their children because of perceived sexual orientation.