Man has texting fight with girlfriend then beats her 3-year-old son to death while she's at the courthouse

Background: News footage of Enrique Lopez in court during his sentencing hearing on Jan. 8 (KIII). Inset: Augustine "Augie" Valencia (Corpus Christi Funeral Home).

A Texas man who admitted to playing a role in the death of his girlfriend's son will spend decades in prison.

Enrique Lopez, 22, pleaded guilty to felony injury to a child almost one year after the death of 3-year-old Augustine "Augie" Valencia. Augie and his 2-year-old brother were the children of Lopez's girlfriend, Emma Torres, who left her sons in Lopez's care while she went to a court date. According to court documents obtained by local ABC affiliate KIII, Torres and Lopez had an argument on the morning of Feb. 11, 2025, after she left the boys with him.

KIII reported that at 8:27 a.m., Torres hung up on Lopez during a phone call. They continued their argument over text messages, when she told him that he did not treat her well and that he was mad. At 8:50 a.m., Torres did not pick up five calls to her phone from Lopez. At 9:29 a.m., Lopez texted Torres, "text me when you're out."

At 10:37 a.m., Lopez called 911 and reported that Augie was not breathing and that he was "turning purple." When Augie arrived at the hospital, medical staff said he was in cardiac arrest and had several injuries, including a skull fracture, an acute subdural hemorrhage, and bruising all over his body. Paramedics said they observed recent-looking bruising on Augie's abdomen.

Augie was pronounced dead at 2 p.m. the same day.

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Lopez told police that he had given Augie a bath then put him to bed while Lopez lay down on the floor. He discovered Augie unresponsive 20 minutes later and called 911. Police said there were inconsistencies with his story, namely how the bathtub was dry and there was no evidence that he had given Augie a bath.

Torres was also arrested in connection with Augie's death and charged with two counts of injury to a child by omission for leaving both of her children with Lopez. The charges against her were dismissed.

On Jan. 8, a judge sentenced Lopez to 35 years in prison for inflicting the injuries that resulted in Augie's death. He received credit for time served.