A Ventura County man convicted of beating his 4-year-old daughter so severely that it left her paralyzed and in a vegetative state was sentenced this week to life in prison with the possibility of parole, officials said.
Tekquan Alexander, of Thousand Oaks, was convicted in November of torture, assault on a child causing a coma and corporal injury to a child, all felonies, in connection with his daughter, Alani, the Ventura County district attorney’s office said in a news release. The jury also agreed to multiple aggravating factors in the case, including causing great bodily injury to a child under 5, using a weapon and taking advantage of a position of trust.
Tekquan Alexander, 28, of Thousand Oaks, is shown in this undated mugshot provided by the Ventura County district attorney’s office.
(Ventura County District Attorney)
“Today [Friday] is Alani’s birthday and, while no punishment can undo the lifetime of challenges she will face, her family knowing her perpetrator could spend his life behind bars is a small gift of justice,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Rikole Kelly, who prosecuted the case, said in a Friday release. It was unclear when Alexander would be eligible for parole.
Over the week of Thanksgiving 2021, Alexander, 28, punched and beat his daughter Alani with a belt, the district attorney’s office said. On Nov. 29, he assaulted her with the belt again and after she wet her bed, he beat her with a stereo amplifier cable to unconsciousness in the bathroom of their home, according to the district attorney’s office.
The girl was airlifted to the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles and was diagnosed with a brain injury, a brain bleed, spinal compression and broken bones, authorities said.
“Alani continues to suffer from profound and life-altering consequences due to the injuries she sustained. She remains paralyzed and in a vegetative state,” prosecutors said. “Her condition underscores the devastating impact of these injuries, leaving her reliant on round-the-clock medical care and support for even the most basic functions.”
If you believe a child is being abused or is unsafe due to neglect, call that county’s 24-hour hotline to report it.