Father of child beaten to death with rolling pin denies knowing about abuse by stepmother – WSB-TV Channel 2

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. – A Gwinnett County father denied during his child abuse retrial that he knew of any abuse in his home before the brutal death of his 8-year-old daughter.

Cledir Barros testified Monday in his defense against allegations he did not do enough to protect his daughter, Sayra, before she died in January at her home in Gwinnett County near Bethlehem.

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Two weeks ago, a judge declared the father's trial invalid after the jury was unable to reach a verdict.

Sayra's stepmother and Barros' wife, Natiela Barros, is accused of murder for allegedly beating Sayra to death with a wooden rolling pin in anger.

Cledir Barros testified that he was driving a truck on the day of Sayra's death and received a call from his wife telling him that Sayra was dead.

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“She hung up first and I said, 'Natee, what did you do?'” Barros testified Monday, describing his reaction to the call he received from his wife on Jan. 30.

He said that before Sayra's death, there had never been any abuse in his presence.

“In my heart, she is not my wife,” Barros said, “because that is completely against what we teach in our home.”

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Prosecutors say Natiela injured Sayra several times in the past when she tried to punish her. Barros testified that he was a truck driver who traveled a lot and believed his wife when Natiela told him the previous injuries were the result of accidents.

“I never suspected anything like this was going on,” he testified. “She never hit Sayra in front of me. Now I know she lied to me.”

Prosecutors said neither adult requested immediate medical attention for Sayra.

Natiela Barros is awaiting her own murder trial.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Tuesday morning. A new group of jurors will be asked to decide Barros' fate.

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