A woman who starved to death a 7-year-old boy could receive life in prison

By Doha Madani -

A New York woman has been charged with murder after authorities alleged she starved to death her boyfriend's 7-year-old son.

Leticia Bravo, 39, became Peter Cuacuas' caregiver in September 2020, when after the start of the school year the child began staying at home every day until Saturday, Newburgh Police Commissioner José said. A. Gómerez.

On Sundays, the boy went with his father.

In January, the boy stopped showing up for virtual classes and was taken to St. Luke's Hospital

"An autopsy by the Orange County Medical Examiner concluded that Peter, who weighed only 37 pounds, died of malnutrition," Gomerez said Friday.

"It is alleged that Bravo left Peter locked up and isolated in a dormitory locked up from the outside, since January 2021."

Bravo is believed to be Peter's mother, but authorities were unable to say for sure during a press conference on Friday.

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She was arrested Thursday and charged with three counts of murder, including first degree murder.

, with the possibility of reduction.

Bravo faces 25 years behind bars, to life in prison.

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Peter's father, Arturo Cuacuas, was charged with criminal negligence manslaughter, but had not been arrested as of Friday, according to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.

A phone number under his name was down when NBC News tried to ask him for comment on Sunday.

Cuacuas was charged because, although he only had the child one day a week, "he should have known" the conditions his son was in, according to Hoovler.

It is unclear if Bravo and Cuacuas have a criminal record or if they have hired an attorney.