Gwinnett County Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Failing to Protect Daughter from Abuse

A Gwinnett County man, Cledir Barros, 38, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday after being convicted of second-degree cruelty to children. The charges stemmed from the tragic death of his 8-year-old daughter, Sayra Barros, who was reportedly killed by her stepmother.

Barros was found guilty of failing to protect Sayra from ongoing abuse by his wife, which led to the girl’s death. District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson expressed condolences to the victim’s surviving siblings, stating, “This beautiful girl needed her father to protect her. He failed to do that.”

On the day of the incident, the stepmother allegedly used a wooden rolling pin to attack Sayra after the child did not complete her schoolwork. The stepmother has been charged with murder, and her case is currently pending.

During the trial, it was revealed that Barros was aware of the abuse since August 2022. Teachers from Harbins Elementary School in Dacula testified that they reported Sayra’s injuries to authorities after noticing them in class. Barros withdrew Sayra from school when teachers began questioning him about the injuries and continued to leave her in his wife’s care for homeschooling.

Barros was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with the requirement to serve eight years. He is also prohibited from contacting his remaining three children. The case was prosecuted by SVU prosecutors Managing Assistant District Attorney Megan Matteucci and Assistant District Attorney Scott Estes, with significant assistance from the Gwinnett County Police Department.