Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting child

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — Alberto Contreras was sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting a 9-year-old child on Thursday, according to court documents.

Police say in March of 2015 Contreras shot into a black SUV on Russell Cave Road near New Circle Road. Tara Murillo was driving the SUV and says her son’s life was changed when a bullet hit the back, right side of his head. She says her son, Antonio Reese, suffered brain damage and now has no short term memory. “I help bathe him and brush his teeth,” says Murillo.

During the sentencing Contreras used an English translator and asked the judge for forgiveness and apologized to the family. His attorney says he did not know anyone was in the backseat, that he was drunk and distraught.

Murillo says Reese has had four surgeries and needs at least one more. “I do have one simple question for you Mr. Contreras, and that is one simple word. Why?,” said Murillo. She continued to say she will never get answers that will satisfy that question.

Court documents show Contreras was sentenced for one count of assault and four counts of wanton endangerment, for the four people in the SUV Contreras shot at.