Mum admits torturing, killing son because she thought he was gay

Gabriel died in 2013, aged 8. Photo / GoFundMe

A mother in California, US, has pleaded guilty to torturing her 8-year-old son to death.

The woman admitted to the first-degree murder charge in the 2013 death of Gabriel Fernandez, and said she killed him because she thought he was gay.

The Los Angeles Times reports the boy suffered violent beatings and was regularly subjected to starvation by his mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez.

The mother reportedly filed the guilty plea to avoid a trial that could result in the death penalty.

The boy died in May 2013. He was discovered with a cracked skull, broken ribs, missing teeth and BB pellets in his groin.

"No human with a heart and soul could do that to an innocent little boy," deputy district attorney Jon Hatami said during the court hearing.

The woman's boyfriend was also found guilty of the murder.

Isauro Aguirre was convicted of first-degree murder on November 1. A jury recommended the death penalty. He is due to be sentenced on March 8.

The mother is scheduled to be sentenced on June 7. She is expected to get life in prison without the possibility of parole.