# Teen sentenced to life in prison for strangling 5-year-old who was found in a dumpster

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/murder-files-unsealed-6698983/teen-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-strangling-5-year-old-who-was-found-in-a-dumpster
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/murder-files-unsealed-6698983/teen-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-strangling-5-year-old-who-was-found-in-a-dumpster.md
Podcast: [Murder Files Unsealed](https://stenobird.com/podcast/murder-files-unsealed-6698983)
Published: 2026-07-01T15:20:06+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/teen-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-strangling-5-year-old-who-was-found-in-a-dumpster--72773028
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72773028/why_the_amber_alert_failed_prince_mccree.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/murder-files-unsealed-6698983/episodes/teen-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-strangling-5-year-old-who-was-found-in-a-dumpster
Duration seconds: 1758

## Resource

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the 2023 murder of five-year-old Prince McCree in Milwaukee and the subsequent legal and legislative outcomes. It details the brutal actions of Erik Mendoza and David Pietura, two members of the victim's household who were both sentenced to life in prison for the crime. The narrative examines the intersection of juvenile justice and mental health, highlighting Mendoza’s history of schizophrenia as a complex factor in the sentencing. Furthermore, the source explains the creation of the "Prince Act," a Wisconsin law that expanded the criteria for missing child alerts to prevent future tragedies. Ultimately, the episode serves as a record of a family's loss and the systemic reforms inspired by the case. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/murder-files-unsealed--6017387/support . This episode includes AI-generated content.

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## Transcript

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