California couple allegedly assaulted, killed newborn at hospital just hours after birth because they 'did not want the child'
A couple has been arrested in California for killing their newborn baby just hours after birth.
Andrea Torralba, 20, and David Villa, 21, both of Oxnard, California, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles, were taken in by the authorities after police responded to a situation at St. John’s Medical Center at 7:53 am on July 19.
The police were told that "a newborn infant was in critical condition with suspicious injuries", according to a news release.
Oxnard police's Family Protection Unit launched an investigation which eventually led them to the mother and her boyfriend.
They found out that the two had allegedly squeezed the life out of the newborn just hours after it was born.
Although the medical staff tried to revive the baby, it was too late and he was pronounced dead.
The victim was named Diego, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The police said in a statement, "Medical staff was notified that the infant was unresponsive and, despite the efforts of the medical team, the infant succumbed to his injuries."
According to the police, doctors had spent more than 10 hours trying to save baby Diego but he passed away by the evening on the same day.
In a statement to KCBS TV channel 2, the hospital said, "While we deal with tragedies every day, the staff at St. John’s Regional Medical Center are devastated by the alleged incident."
They added that they wanted to "remind our community of California’s Safe Surrender Law wherein: Newborn infants can be dropped off at any safe surrender site such as hospitals, fire stations and police stations, within 72 hours of birth, with no questions asked."
When the investigators probed the couple about the death, they said that they didn't want the child.
According to Oxnard Police Sgt. Brandon Ordelheide, the mother, Torralba, told the investigators that Villa was not the father of the child.
Villa's bail was set at $5 million while Torralba's bail was set at $1 million. Both have been charged with assault on a child by means of force resulting in the child’s death, which is a felony and can send them to prison for 25 years.
The police have said that anyone with any information regarding the case should contact Detective Juan Morales at 805-385-3922 or the Oxnard Police Department. The two are set to appear before the court on Tuesday.