"Newborn John" VALDERRAMA (2010) - Fullerton CA

Fullerton CA ---- A 20-year-old Fullerton woman was charged with murder and
child abuse today for allegedly drowning her newborn son in a toilet and
disposing of his body in a trash can.
Yanira Valderrama was expected to be arraigned Monday in Santa Ana.
She could face up to 15 years to life in prison if convicted.
Valderrama, who apparently hid her pregnancy from her family,
allegedly gave birth to the boy in a bathroom of the family’s Fullerton
home on Sept. 4. Prosecutors contend that when she heard her mother
trying to enter the bathroom from a connecting bedroom, Valderrama put
the newborn in the toilet.
When her mother left the adjoining bedroom, Valderrama allegedly
wrapped the newborn in a T-shirt and threw him in a bedroom trash can,
according to the District Attorney’s Office. She allegedly expelled the
placenta a short time later and hid it under the bathroom sink,
prosecutors said.According to the District Attorney’s Office, Valderrama’s mother went
into the bathroom later that night and saw blood and dialed 9-1-1.
Paramedics took Valderrama and the discarded placenta, which was found
by her mother, to a hospital, where doctors confirmed she had just given
birth.
Police returned to the home and found the newborn in the trash can.
Valderrama was arrested Thursday.
An autopsy on the child determined that the child died of “a blunt
force injury to the head and asphyxia while submerged in water,” said
Sgt. Andrew Goodrich of the Fullerton Police Department.

Arraignment delayed for mother accused of killing newborn
Mom accused of killing newborn behind bars
April 13, 2010 2:11 PM

By DENISSE SALAZAR
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER



FULLERTON – A 20-year-old Fullerton woman remains behind bars, accused of killing her newborn boy by drowning him in a toilet and then throwing the body in a trash can, authorities said.

Yanira Valderrama appeared before a judge on Monday to be arraigned on murder, child abuse and endangerment charges and a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily harm.

Valderrama's arraignment was continued to April 30. She is being held at the Orange County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail, said Superior Court of Orange County spokeswoman Carole Levitzky.

If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison.

Valderrama was arrested Thursday night at her parents' west Fullerton apartment following a 7-month investigation, said Fullerton Sgt. Andrew Goodrich.

On Sept. 4, 2009, Fullerton paramedics were called to Valderrama's home after she said she was feeling ill and took her to a hospital, Goodrich said.

Hospital staff determined Valderrama had just given birth and paramedics went back to her home to look for the newborn baby, Goodrich said.

Paramedics found the body of the baby hidden in Valderrama's bedroom, Goodrich said.

"She hid the body so her parents wouldn't find it," Goodrich said, adding that Valderrama was trying to conceal the pregnancy from her parents.

An autopsy performed on the full-term baby revealed the baby was born alive and died from blunt force injury to the head and asphyxia while submerged in water, Goodrich said.

Valderrama, then 19, is accused of drowning the baby in a toilet after she heard her mother trying to enter the bathroom from a connecting bedroom, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.

Valderrama wrapped the baby in a T-shirt and tossed the body in a bedroom trash can, according to the release.

California's "safely surrendered baby law" allows parents of unwanted infants no older than 3 days to hand over the babies to hospitals or police or fire stations without any questions asked.

Contact the writer: 714-704-3709 or desalazar@ocregister.com

http://www.rgvsports.com/articles/valderrama-243848-ocregister-baby-goodrich.html

April 11, 2010

Orange County Woman Charged in Baby Killing

There can be little doubt that the defendant in this case is a confused and befuddled person. There is also little doubt that the act of killing your own child is one of the most hated and troubling acts by society. Child abuse is repugnant in our society and we find ourselves wondering what it takes to commit such a heinous act. Mental illness?Poor upbringing? Drugs and alcohol? Fatigue over time? Anyone who is a parent knows about frustration. But what if you don't expect to have a child? What if you are scared and worried about the consequences? What if you think you'll be cast aside by your family should they find out you had a child out of wedlock? These are the issues one considers in this case.

Yanira Valderrama is 20 years old. She may have drowned her child in the bathroom on purpose. She may assert a claim of insanity or intoxication. In any event, she'll never be the same and the child will never grow up.

The District Attorney may seek death on this case. To qualify for the death penalty instead of just life in prison without the possibility of parole, special circumstances need to be present. Some special circumstances include felony murder, murdering a peace officer, prosecutor or judge or multiple murders, among others.

If you are convicted of murder with special circumstances, you will be on Death Row for years before being executed. If you are sentenced to murder without special circumstances, you will have to spend your life in prison. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Fullerton or Newport Beach, if you are charged with murder, call an experienced murder defense attorney right away to assist you.

http://www.californiacriminaldefenselawyerblog.com/child_abuse/

09/26/2011 08:30 AM Jury Trial - C41

https://ocapps.occourts.org/Vision_Public/DisplayHearingInfo.do

Charge Charge Date Charge Dispo Date Charge Dispo Type
12022.7(a) PC 09/04/2009 09/26/2011 Admission
273a(a) PC 09/04/2009 09/26/2011 Pled Guilty

https://ocapps.occourts.org/CourtIndex/case_details_criminal.jsp?cn=10CF0852&pi=7909311#ocDetailsA

Mom takes plea deal for drowning newborn son in toilet
1:29 pm, Sep 27th, 2011

FULLERTON, Calif. (KTLA) -- A young woman accused of drowning her newborn boy in a toilet has pleaded guilty to felony child abuse.

Under a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to dismiss murder charges against 21-year old Yanira Bernice Valderrama.

Prosecutors say Valderrama hid her pregnancy from her family and gave birth to the boy in the bathroom of her family's Fullerton home on Sept. 4, 2009.

On September 4, 2009, Valderrama's mother called paramedics after discovering the placenta, prosecutors said.

Valderrama was transported to a hospital where it was determined she had recently given birth, police said.

Investigators believe Valderrama had been trying to conceal the pregnancy from her parents and delivered the infant full term.

Valderrama allegedly gave birth in the bathroom and put the baby in the toilet when her mother tried to enter, according to prosecutors.

Fullerton Fire officials found the newborn's body in a trashcan.

The Orange County Coroner determined the baby's cause of death was "a blunt force injury to the head and asphyxia while submerged in water."

Valderrama is due back in court October 21st for sentencing.

She will likely serve five-years under the plea deal.


http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-fullerton-mother-drowning-son-plea,0,5281364.story

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- A Southern California mother is being sentenced to five years in prison for drowning her newborn in a toilet.Prosecutors
say 21-year-old Yanira Bernice Valderrama pleaded guilty to felony
child abuse and admitted to an allegation of inflicting great bodily
harm.Orange County prosecutor Steve McGreevy tells the Orange
County Register that the pleas are part of a deal that will lead to
dismissal of a murder charge when the Fullerton woman is sentenced on
Oct. 1If convicted of murder, Valderrama was facing up to 15 years in prison.Investigators
say Valderrama hid her pregnancy from her family and gave birth to the
boy in the toilet, where he drowned. She put the body in a bedroom trash
can.
Read more: http://www.kcra.com/news/29327307/detail.html#ixzz1ZJK1Rcnn