A McAllen native faces up to life in prison after a jury convicted him of fatally beating his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son.

Daniel Garcia was found guilty on Wednesday, according to ABC’s San Antonio affiliate, KSAT-TV.

Garcia was originally charged with murder, but his charge was changed to injury to a child causing serious bodily injury. 

Garcia was arrested in August 2021 in Florida in connection with the death of Domenic Patrick Aguilar.

According to the San Antonio Express News, Garcia abused the boy multiple times in a three-week period before his death. At one point, he “hit the boy so hard he bounced off a wall.”

The boy’s body was found dumped in a Colorado ravine the following month. 

The child’s mother — 27-year-old Nickolle Cristina Aguilar — pleaded guilty to a charge of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, in exchange for her testimony against Garcia and a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Garcia could face a maximum punishment of life in prison. He will be sentenced on Aug. 14.