10-year-old girl dies nearly a decade after being beaten by father

LAURENS, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - A 10-year-old South Carolina girl has died after having spent most of her life dealing with health issues from being beaten by her father as an infant, according to officials.

Egypt Morales was just 17 months old when Laurens County law enforcement found her unconscious on Feb. 23, 2015. Her father, Joseph Morales, had beaten her so severely that she was placed in a coma because of brain trauma, WHNS reports.

Because of this traumatic event, Egypt was unable to eat on her own, was partially blind and suffered from daily seizures.

The Laurens County Coroner’s Office confirmed the 10-year-old’s death. Police say they were notified Monday.

Police say Egypt’s cause of death has been determined to be related to the injuries sustained during the initial incident. However, according to South Carolina Code of Law, a person causing injury which results in death at least three years later cannot be prosecuted for homicide.

Police say because of this law, additional charges will not be made against Morales. He pleaded guilty and was convicted of inflicting great bodily injury upon a child in 2016 and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Morales is currently projected to be released on June 9, 2030. He must serve at least 85% of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Laurens Police released the following statement on its Facebook page regarding this case:

While this situation is undeniably tragic, it underscores the limitations imposed by existing laws. Despite our desire to pursue charges of Murder or Homicide by Child Abuse, these options are legally unavailable to us at this time under current South Carolina law.

During the initial prosecution of the case in 2015-2016, medical professionals indicated that the victim may survive into adulthood. This compelled the 8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office to make a difficult decision and secure a conviction with the maximum possible sentence at the time before the three years statutory limitations applied.

Since the incident, the child has been living and under medical care in Greenville County, SC. We have spoken with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and a SLED representative, who will follow up to determine if anything occurred over the last 9 years that may have contributed to this child’s death, who was expected to maybe live into adulthood.

We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim during this incredibly difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they navigate this profound loss.

We would like to emphasize that while we may not always agree with the laws, it is our duty to uphold them. We remain committed to seeking justice within the confines of the legal framework.

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