Father of murdered 5-year-old El Paso native says he wants life in prison for mother, boyfriend

EL PASO, Texas -- The father of Emily Canales, the 5-year-old El Paso native who was killed allegedly by her mother and her mother's boyfriend in Colorado Springs, spoke out in response to the suspects' court appearances.

Emily Canales's mother, Brianne Escamilla, made her first court appearance Wednesday. Escamilla's boyfriend, Matthew Urias, appeared in court for the first time Tuesday.

Escamilla and Urias are both being charged with first-degree murder, which could result in life sentences for both if convicted.

El Pasoan Manuel Canales said he wants both suspects to be sentenced to life in prison.

"I heard a lot of noise about them taking plea deals, them trying to deflect blame to each other, them trying to wanting to help with the prosecution on each other," said Manuel Canales in a phone interview with ABC-7's sister station KRDO in Colorado Springs. "I want the people, especially the people from Colorado, to not let the prosecutor take a plea or let them tell on each other. They need to be equally charged, get their life sentences and rot in there forever."

Investigators say that Escamilla and Urias physically abused Emily Canales extensively, which eventually caused her death on January 13. Emily Canales's autopsy revealed internal injuries and bruising all over her body.

Colorado Springs Police arrested Escamilla and Urias almost six months after Emily Canales's death. According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, Emily Canales's autopsy was conducted the day after her death, but the official ruling that her death was a homicide was not made until June 14, five months later.

ABC-7 contacted the Coroner's Office at Colorado Springs to find out what took so long to arrest the suspects.

The medical examiner's office told ABC-7 they cannot comment on their process, but can provide a copy of the autopsy.

A preliminary hearing for Escamilla and Urias is scheduled for September 15.