Gwinnett County

Jury finds mother guilty in death of Gwinnett County child

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County jury says a mother accused of helping hide her daughter's body has been found guilty on several counts.

Ruiz was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, cruelty to children and concealing the death of a child -- but not murder.

Prosecutors insisted Ruiz not only failed to seek help for her 2-year-old daughter Prissi in 2007, but also helped hide her body in the attic of her Lawrenceville home and willingly fled to Mexico.

Ruiz claims she was kidnapped and left only because her ex-husband threatened to kill her.

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A tape of a conversation between Ruiz and a Gwinnett homicide detective in 2008 was played in court.

Ruiz: "He told me he was going to do it. he told me to do it and I said, 'No I can't do it. I can't do it.'"
Detective: "But he wanted to hide the baby because that would give y'all more time to get to Mexico. If he just left it out somebody might find it."
Ruiz: "Yeah. He supposedly. That's what he said."

The toddler died in 2007, but her body wasn't found until 18 months later. It was badly decomposed, wrapped in garbage bags in the attic.

Ruiz's ex-husband will also face a murder trial at a later date.