GABRIEL ESPINOSA - 2 months - (2010) Fresno CA

Fresno police found a 2-month-old boy dead this morning
in a northeast Fresno motel after his mother told authorities she had
drowned him.When they arrived at the Economy Inn on north
Blackstone Avenue, police confirmed the baby had died, but two other
children, ages 6 and 4, had not been harmed.

Gabriela Castaneda
Espinosa, 23, of Fresno had been arrested around 4 a.m. after the
California Highway Patrol reported her vehicle was involved in two
accidents on Highway 41.She told the CHP about the baby and her
other two children at about 7 a.m. after she had been taken to Community
Regional Medical Center with undisclosed injuries.Fresno police
investigation determined that the baby was intentionally drowned. Police
said Castaneda has no criminal history, no history of mental illness,
and no contacts with Child Protective Services.

A 23-year-old mother is accused of intentionally drowning her
2-month-old son in a hotel bathtub, according to Fresno, Calif.,
police.
Gabriela Espinosa was arrested early Saturday
after police said she admitted drowning her baby boy while they were
interviewing her following a traffic stop.Espinosa had no criminal record or history of mental illness, and had
never had any issues with Child Protective Services before the arrest."What's really unique in this situation isn't just that an innocent
child died, but that a child died at the hands of his own mother,"
Fresno Police Department Deputy Chief Robert Nevarez said.The woman came to police attention around 4 a.m. Saturday, when she was
spotted driving erratically on Highway 41. She allegedly left the scene
of one accident, was chased along the highway and was detained after
getting in another crash.
When CaliforniaHighway Patrol officers questioned her, she allegedly told them about her son.
"The CHP interviewed miss Espinosa and at some point, she told them she
had three children at a nearby hotel, the Economy Inn at 4290 North
Blackstone and that she had drowned her 2-month-old," Nevarez said.
CHP investigators went to the motel and found the baby, not breathing.
They attempted to revive the child, but could not and he was pronounced
dead at around 7 a.m.
An autopsy was scheduled today to determine the cause of death and to positively identify the child.
There were two other children in the room, but neither was hurt and
police said they did not believe she had tried to hurt either one.
Police had not released the names, ages or sex of the other two
children, who were taken into the care of Child Protective Services."Oh, I can't believe it. It's scary. It's so sad. A baby," Molly Morin,
who works at the Economy Inn, remarked.
She was there when Espinosa checked in, and noticed nothing unusual about the woman.
She said the little boy was in a stroller while she was checking in, and when the baby started to cry
she went to check on him.
"She seemed fairly normal, but it seemed like she might have been going
through some problems or something," Morin said.
David Weaver, who was staying at the Economy Inn, said he saw
members of the coroner's office bring the baby out of the room.
"Well, it was obviously a small child," Weaver said. "It's heartbreaking
to see the little kid come out like that whether it was natural, it's
heartbreaking. If it's violent, it's sad."
Espinosa was treated at hospital for internal bleading caused by the two
car crashes and released after her arrest.
She was being held in the Fresno County Jail on charges of suspicion of
murder and willful cruelty to a child, according to information on the
Fresno County Sheriff Department's inmate database.
Police were also awaiting the results of tests to determine whether she
was drunk or under the influence of drugs when she was pulled over.

Mom Accused Of Murdering Infant To Have Medical Files Reviewed
Posted:
wnRenderDate('Wednesday, August 11, 2010 12:26 PM EST', '', true);
Aug 12, 2010 4:26 AM
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 12:26 PM EST

Featured VideoMom Accused Of Murdering Infant To Have Medical Files Reviewed



On Monday a court will review the medical files of a Fresno mother, accused of drowning her baby son.
The hearing comes after a judge ordered a mental evaluation for Gabriela Espinosa back in June.
Officers accuse 23–year–old Espinosa
of killing her son Gabriel in a bathtub at the Economy Inn back on April
17th. Espinosa's two other children were left in the room with the
baby's body; they have since been placed with CPS.
Espinosa has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of murder and child abuse.

Judge: Mom unfit for trial in infant bathtub death
Posted: Sep 28, 2010 10:59 AM - Source: The Associated Press
Updated: Sep 28, 2010 10:59 AM


FRESNO, Calif. (AP) A judge has ruled that a Fresno mother charged with drowning her infant son in a motel bathtub is unfit to stand trial for murder.

Fresno County Superior Court Judge Jon Nick Kapetan said Monday that Gabriela Espinosa is legally incompetent to assist in her defense. Kapetan cited the reports of two court-appointed doctors say Espinosa is legally incompetent.

Investigators say Espinosa planned to kill herself and three of her children in a Fresno motel on April 17. She confessed to drowning her 2-month-old son Gabriel then driving away, leaving her two other children alone.

The prosecutor and defense attorney both agreed with the judge's decision.

Kapetan set an Oct. 18 hearing to determine which state hospital can admit Espinosa.

___

Information from: The Fresno Bee, http://www.fresnobee.com

http://www.ksby.com/news/judge-mom-unfit-for-trial-in-infant-bathtub-death/

Mom gets forced medication in Fresno killing
Oct 19, 2010 (The Fresno Bee - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX)

-- A judge signed an order Monday allowing state hospital staff to forcibly medicate a mentally ill defendant who has been found incompetent to stand trial in connection with the drowning of her infant son in a Fresno motel room in April.

A shackled Gabriela Espinosa, 23, sat silently in Fresno County Superior Court as Judge Ralph Nunez signed an order that transfers her to Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino.

In signing the order, Nunez said hospital staff can forcibly medicate Espinosa until her competency is restored. Once it's restored, Espinosa will return to Fresno County Superior Court to answer to a murder charge in the death of her 2-month-old son, Gabriel.

Outside court, attorney Barbara Hope O'Neill, who represents Espinosa, said her client needs medicine because she is unable to communicate and assist in her defense.

What is tragic about the case, O'Neill said, is that police reports indicate that Espinosa was acting strangely before her son was drowned, but no one who came in contact with her could figure out that she needed help.

Police say county social workers placed Espinosa and her three children in the Economy Inn at Blackstone and Ashlan avenues on April 16 after she was involved in a domestic-abuse incident with the children's father.

The next day, police said, Espinosa confessed to drowning Gabriel in a motel room's bathtub.

Police say Espinosa initially planned to kill herself and all three of her children in the motel room. She never clearly explained to police detectives why she killed Gabriel.

"Just because," she said, according to the police reports.

In June, criminal proceedings were suspended after O'Neill called into question Espinosa's competency.

After two court-appointed doctors examined Espinosa, Judge Jon Nick Kape tan ruled in September that she was legally incompetent to stand trial.

The reporter can be reached at plopez@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6434.

http://technews.tmcnet.com/news/2010/10/19/5077169.htm