Jiryiah Johnson’s parents say the prison term brought some justice but no explanation for why they were never called after the attack.
SAN ANTONIO — The parents of a 1-year-old boy killed by three dogs at his babysitter’s home say a 14-year prison sentence has not resolved the questions surrounding their son’s death or the broken trust they still struggle to understand.
Heather Rodriquez, 37, was sentenced June 1 by Judge Joel Perez of Bexar County’s 437th Criminal District Court. She had accepted a plea agreement in March on charges of endangering an injured child in imminent danger, a second-degree felony, and child endangerment, a state jail felony. The agreement limited her possible prison term to 14 years.
The case arose from the death of Jiryiah Johnson, who was attacked Oct. 7, 2024, at a home in the 9700 block of Spruce Ridge Drive in northeast Bexar County. Authorities said Rodriquez had agreed to babysit Jiryiah but left the home and placed her 13-year-old daughter in charge of him. Jiryiah died the next day.
Bexar County sheriff’s officials said three dogs forced their way into the room where the teenager and child were staying. The teenager tried to protect Jiryiah as the animals attacked, authorities said. A judge later ordered all three dogs euthanized.
At the sentencing hearing, Perez said evidence about Rodriquez’s conduct after the attack weighed heavily in his decision. He referred to her reaction when deputies said they would take custody of the dogs and said her concern for the animals was an aggravating factor. “It’s hard to have any mercy at all,” Perez told her before imposing the sentence.
Jiryiah’s parents, Erika Castro and Julian Johnson, testified before the sentence was announced and later delivered victim impact statements. Johnson told the court that his son’s death had left a lasting void in his life. Castro described the trust she had placed in Rodriquez when Rodriquez picked up Jiryiah that morning.
The parents said Rodriquez had not cared for their son before that day. They knew her through a relative and believed she was someone they could trust. That belief has made the absence of direct communication after the attack especially difficult for them, they said.
Body camera footage reviewed by News 4 San Antonio showed deputies repeatedly telling Rodriquez to call Castro and explain what had happened. Castro testified that Rodriquez never made that call. Days after the sentencing, Castro said she still wanted to know why Rodriquez did not contact her by phone or text.
Johnson said the family may never receive an explanation. He also said during the court proceedings that the tragedy could have been avoided if the parents had received a brief call about concerns at the home. The parents said they would have immediately left work to retrieve their son.
The attack and its aftermath have led to legal action beyond the criminal case. In May 2025, Jiryiah’s parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit seeking more than $1 million from Rodriquez and companies connected to the ownership and management of the rental home. The available reports do not establish the current status or outcome of that civil case.
For Castro and Johnson, the conclusion of the criminal case marked an important measure of accountability but not closure. Their interview after the sentencing took place on what would have been Jiryiah’s third birthday, underscoring the milestones they continue to face without him.
The parents have since established Jiryiah’s Wings, a nonprofit that provides clothing, Easter baskets and other necessities to children. They said the work allows them to create moments of happiness for other families while honoring their son’s memory.
Rodriquez is serving the sentence imposed under her plea agreement. No further criminal court proceeding was identified in the reports reviewed, while Jiryiah’s parents continue seeking answers about the decisions made before and after the attack.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 1, 2026.