Prosecutors could seek death for woman accused of torturing, killing daughter

A Madera Ranchos woman accused of killing her daughter and torturing her son could face the death penalty, and her husband – a San Joaquin County sheriff’s deputy – faces charges related to the slaying and on suspicion of a cover-up, Madera County District Attorney David Linn said.

Linn said Amy Louise Chavoya’s husband, Gerardo Flores, will be charged with several felonies. Madera County jail records indicate he had not been booked as of Tuesday afternoon.

San Joaquin County sheriff’s spokesman Les Garcia said Flores has been with that office for 11 years. He has been placed on administrative leave, but Garcia said county authorities had not been notified of pending criminal charges against Flores. Garcia declined to comment further, saying it was a personnel issue.

Chavoya, 42, was arrested Nov. 25 on suspicion of slaying her 12-year-old daughter, Mariah Flores. She also is charged with torturing Mariah and two of the girl’s siblings. The victim’s brother is a key witness against his mother, and Chavoya is charged with trying to dissuade him from testifying against her.

Chavoya remained in jail Tuesday. Her next court date is scheduled for Dec. 30, but a trial is still a long way away, Linn said.

Linn said he may ask a federal grand jury to investigate local agencies that “should have kept this little girl from being tortured and murdered.” He declined to state exactly which agencies were to blame.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Prosecutors could seek death for woman accused of torturing, killing daughter."