Trial of father responsible for starvation death of his son begins on Tuesday

SAN ANTONIO – The trial of Brandon Cervera, a man accused of starving his 4-year-old son, Benjamin Cervera, is scheduled to begin Tuesday in 186th District Court.

Brandon Cervera is charged with assault on a child. His ex-wife Miranda Casarez was convicted of the same crime earlier this year.

Benjamin was found unconscious on August 17, 2021, after Casarez tried to take him to a hospital. The boy did not survive and doctors were immediately concerned about his weight. Police were called to investigate and discovered disturbing conditions in the family home.

All food in the house was locked away and the children's room was secured with locks, gates and surveillance cameras, officials reported.

An autopsy later confirmed that Benjamin had starved to death. Both Cervera and Casarez were arrested and charged with assault on a child.

During Casarez's trial, which ended with a 25-year prison sentence, gruesome details of child abuse came to light, including cell phone footage showing Benjamin crying and begging for food.

While the defense argued that Benjamin did not starve and that Brandon Cervera had the situation under control, the jury found them guilty.

Now Brandon Cervera awaits his own trial, which could provide further insight into the role he played in Benjamin's death.

If convicted, Brandon Cervera faces a life sentence in prison.

Testimony is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

KSAT 12 will broadcast this process live from start to finish. You can follow the process on KSAT.comKSAT Plus and KSAT's YouTube channelViewers are cautioned that some details that emerge during the trial may be disturbing.