The younger brother and sister of a 13-year-old Willacy County teen who was starved and physically abused before dying testified in the trial against the man accused in causing the teen’s death.

Jesse Harrison Jr., 13, died after he was hospitalized on January 2021 with breathing complications, according to previous reports.

Sabrina Loredo —the boy’s mother, Antonia Villarreal Gonzalez — the boy’s grandmother, and Ruben Gonzalez were each indicted in 2022 on a murder charge and four counts of injury to a child in connection with the death, records show.

Tuesday marked the first day in the trial of Ruben Gonzalez, who was identified as Antonia Villarreal Gonzalez’s boyfriend.

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Jesse Harrison Jr’s little brother and sister — who will be identified as Harrison and Loredo, respectively — were emotional as they testified about the time they all lived together in the same home where their brother was found unresponsive.

Harrison testified that his older brother was skinny weeks before he died. Harrison told the jury that Ruben Gonzalez had a rule that Jesse Harrison Jr. shouldn't eat before bed if he was misbehaving.

Loredo said Jesse Harrison Jr. would get spanked.

Harrison also described to the jury the day Jesse Harrison Jr. was hospitalized, and teared up when he described how he found his brother laying down and not talking.

Five other people, including the EMT who responded to the scene, also testified. 

The EMT said when she arrived, Jesse Harrison Jr. was laying down on a mattress with only a diaper on and on a mattress with no sheet.

Jesse Harrison Jr.’s special education teacher also testified and described to jurors one of the first times she saw him after classes were moved virtually during the pandemic.

During her testimony, she told the court Jesse Harrison Jr. was thinner compared to how he looked before in person, and she noticed a scrape on his face and slurred speech.

Testimony in the trial will continue on Wednesday.

Sabrina Laredo and Antonia Gonzalez are set to go to trial in October 2024.