Mother, brother of Miami man facing death penalty testify about his childhood before car crash

Family members of a Miami man facing the death penalty for killing his wife and her two young daughters took the stand Thursday, telling jurors about what he was like as a child.

The mother and brother of Alberto Sierra spoke about him being a normal, happy child before he was struck by a car at age 12. Sierra wept for the first time during the trial at the sight of his loved ones.

Sierra's mother, Mercedes Pedraza, broke down in tears on the witness stand when asked about her love for her son. She testified about how difficult it was for him to adjust to life in the United States.

"He was not able to adjust. He did not want to be here," Pedraza said through a translator.

Sierra wiped away tears as his older brother, Dayron Porrata, described their childhood in Cuba before the family moved to Hialeah.

"I could say he was outgoing, happy. Very hyper, more than me," Porrata testified.

Jurors were shown photos of a smiling young Sierra. Porrata testified that his brother changed after being hit by a car in 1996.

"His face was all swollen, his head was deformed. His eyes were not open, the only thing you could see was eye line," Porrata said.

The defense argues the crash caused a traumatic head injury that impacted Sierra's future choices and behavior.

During cross-examination, state prosecutors questioned Porrata about the injury and the photos presented to the court.

"Does it appear your brother's head is bandaged at all in any way in these photos?" the prosecutor asked.

"In those two photos, no," Porrata answered.

Porrata also testified that while he had heard about Sierra's wife, Gladys Machado, and her three children, he had never met them. When asked about divorce, Porrata said he believed in ending a relationship through divorce when it is not working out.

Trial proceedings are scheduled to resume on Monday.