The Hays County District Attorney’s Office announced that Mark Anthony Briones, 34, has been convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the 2022 death of 7-month-old Annalyne Fridley Benavides. On June 20, 2022, Briones was babysitting Annalyne, the infant daughter of his roommate, when she was taken to the hospital after being found unresponsive and without a pulse.
Medical professionals at the hospital discovered extensive bruising on Annalyne's body and noted severe injuries, including detached retinas, an anoxic brain injury, and subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhages. The infant was transferred to a children’s hospital, where she was later pronounced brain dead. According to the District Attorney's Office, medical experts testified that her injuries were consistent with fatal physical abuse.
During Briones’ trial, a photograph of Annalyne taken the morning before her death was presented to the jury, showing her healthy and free of visible injuries. Assistant Criminal District Attorney Katie Arnold expressed gratitude toward the witnesses and jurors, saying, “It was an honor to fight for that sweet baby girl and to get to tell her story to the jury. We are very grateful for the verdict, and we know Annalyne would have been proud. We hope in some way that her family can have some closure knowing that her murderer will be spending the rest of his life in prison.”
