BETHLEHEM, Georgia – A Georgia couple was arrested and charged with the murder of their 8-year-old daughter, who was reportedly beaten with a wooden rolling pin up to 20 times. Sayra Barros’ stepmother, Natiela Barros, 34, and her father, Cledir Mendes Barros, 37, face multiple charges including murder and cruelty to children.
The incident unfolded when police responded to a home in Bethlehem, where first responders found the lifeless body of the 8-year-old girl. Natiela Barros allegedly beat the victim with a wooden rolling pin and then refused to provide medical care, leading to the child’s death, according to the arrest warrant.
The stepmother reportedly called her husband after the incident, who found the girl unresponsive when he arrived home. He immediately called 911 and began CPR. Natiela Barros was described as being angry with Sayra and allegedly struck her in various parts of her body, including the top back of her neck.
Natiela Barros appeared before a Gwinnett County judge and was denied bond, facing charges of felony and malice murder, aggravated assault, and first-degree cruelty to children. Her husband, Cledir Mendes Barros, faces charges of second-degree felony murder and second-degree cruelty to children.
The small northeast Atlanta community where the family resides was shocked by the crime. A neighbor mentioned that the family has four children and expressed disbelief and shock at the violent nature of the incident, stating that there had been no previous signs of violence coming from the family or their home.
The tragic death of Sayra Barros at the hands of her caregivers has left the community in mourning and disbelief at the senseless act of violence that took the life of an innocent child.