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Sentenced: California mom dropped disabled infant son to his death off parking garage

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Sugar Cookie

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A California mother accused of dropping her disabled infant off a parking garage 10 years ago, killing him, went on trial this week, with prosecutors arguing that she resented him and the defense claiming mental illness.

On Tuesday, Orange County Deputy District Attorney Mena Guirguis told jurors that Sonia Hermosillo, 31, whose husband said she suffered postpartum depression following their son's birth in early 2011, wanted the 7-month-old dead.

'(He's sick) and that's why I don't love him', police said Hermosillo told them following her August 2011 arrest. She 'would rather he died,' police said.
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Prosecutors claimed this week that her husband, Noe Medina, who has forgiven his wife and fully supports her, said, 'She didn’t accept him. She didn’t accept that he was like this.'

'She didn’t look at our son as normal,' he said of Noe Medina Jr.

But Hermosillo's defense argues that the mother was in a state of psychosis at the time, and described her as a dedicated housewife and mom to Noe Jr. as well as their two daughters.

Noe Jr. was 'in utero too long' and born with congenital muscular torticollis, which causes a twisting of the neck to one side. The child wore a helmet to help correct his plagiocephaly, otherwise known as ‘flat-head syndrome,' according to KFI AM.

At the time of his death, Noe Jr. was undergoing physical therapy twice a week and was showing signs of improvement, The Journal reports.

Police said Hermosillo arrived at Children's Hospital of Orange County without an appointment then removed the child's protective helmet before dropping him. The child fell three stories from the four-story parking garage. She then had her parking ticket validated and left the garage.

Hermasillo was charged soon after with one felony count of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation, and one felony count of child abuse causing great bodily injury.

She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and has remained jailed since her arrest.

According to Guirguis, Hermasillo had been treated for mental illness prior to the child's death, and was placed on a psychiatric hold.

'But she was still able to intend to kill her son,' he told jurors in his opening statement on Tuesday.

'And she was able to follow through on that ... It will be very clear that she intended to kill him and it's going to be very clear she wanted him to die. You'll hear that several times. Why? Because he was sick. His mother did not love him and she wanted to get rid of him.'

Hermosillo's lawyer, Jacqueline Goodman, however, argued that her client never resented her disabled son, but rather felt he wasn't safe with her.

She was suffering from 'full-blown psychosis' during interviews with police immediately after the crime, telling investigators that Noe Jr. would 'always remain a baby,' and even as an adult she would have needed to 'change his diapers.'

Goodman said her client met her husband and father to her children in Mexico when the two were in their late teens.

Despite the fact that she had only a sixth-grade education, she said Hermosillo was a 'remarkable' homemaker who along with her husband, desperately wanted to have a son following the birth of their two daughters.

'She wanted Noe Jr.,' she said.

'When Noe Jr. was born, there was something that went wrong and you'll hear it was chemical. Sonia had become severely mentally ill.'

'She stopped caring for her children,' her attorney added. 'She couldn't even take care of herself.'
www.dailymail.co.uk

California mom who pushed disabled son to his death wanted him to die

On Tuesday, Orange County prosecutors said that Hermosillo, 31, who's husband says suffered post-partum depression after the birth of their son, resented the child and wanted him dead.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk
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A La Habra mother accused of throwing her infant son from a Children’s Hospital of Orange County parking structure was convicted of murder on Wednesday, setting up a second phase of the trial to determine whether she was sane at the time of the killing.

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Sonia Hermosillo, 41, guilty of murder and assault on a child for the 2011 death of 7-month-old Noe Medina Jr. Since Hermosillo pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, the same jury will return for a subsequent “sanity” phase of the trial.

During the initial guilt phase of the trial, Deputy District Attorney Mena Guirguis told jurors that Hermosillo planned to kill the boy and later told police investigators that she didn’t love him and wanted him to die. The baby had been receiving regular treatments at CHOC for a congenital problem that left his neck twisted to one side and for flat-head syndrome.

“He was sick and his mother didn’t want him,” Guirguis said. “She made a cold-hearted decision to kill her child.”

Hermosillo was arrested hours later. In an interview with detectives she described having “hate, resentment and anger” toward the boy “because he’s sick.”

“She was fed up, she had enough,” the prosecutor told jurors on Wednesday morning. “It’s not a good reason, a reason we can wrap our heads around, but it was her reason.”

Defense attorney Jacqueline Goodman described Hermosillo as being delusional and suffering from a psychotic break at the time of her son’s death and the police interviews.

“This is not a sick baby, it is a baby that gestated too long and needed some physical therapy,” Goodman told jurors on Wednesday. “He was getting better.”

Hermosillo, a mother who had devoted her life to her family, had barely been eating or sleeping and was often catatonic or wandering off, the defense attorney said. She repeated “I don’t love him” over and over, dozens of times, during the police interview, Goodman noted.

“That is not a confession, it is mental illness,” the defense attorney said.

The second phase of the trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 24. If Hermosillo is found sane she faces 25-years-to-life in prison.
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www.ocregister.com

Mom convicted of murder for dropping baby from OC parking structure, setting up sanity phase of trial

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Sonia Hermosillo of La Habra guilty of murder and assault on a child for the 2011 death of 7-month-old Noe Medina Jr.
www.ocregister.com www.ocregister.com
 
Torticollis & flat head syndrome are not disabilities, they are temporary conditions that would not affect his neurological development. The helmet is worn for like 8-10 weeks (rarely more) and the neck muscles are exercised. This child would have lived a perfectly normal life. (Obviously even if he was disabled it would be no excuse for this)
Since the ‘back is best’ campaign started in the late 80’s SIDS has gone down exponentially while flat head syndrome has skyrocketed. I personally know 6 babies who have worn helmets and now have perfectly normal heads. Only 2 had torticollis which also cleared up after basic physical therapy.
 
A California jury on Monday decided that a mother who drove her special needs infant son to the top floor of a children’s hospital parking structure and pushed him off of the building to his death was legally sane at the time she committed the crime.

The same group of jurors who last month found 41-year-old Sonia Hermosillo guilty of intentionally murdering her 7-month-old son Noe Medina, Jr., (a.k.a. Baby Noe) also found that she was able to understand the nature and morality of the criminal act she committed over a decade ago.

The sanity finding means that Hermosillo will face a sentence of 25 years to life to be served in prison instead of a mental health facility for first-degree murder and child assault causing death.

According to a report from the East Bay Times, jurors over the last three weeks heard testimony from a series of mental health experts who claimed the La Habra mother was “suffering from either postpartum psychosis or severe depression.”

Hermosillo’s attorney, Jacqueline Goodman, argued that her client’s family knew Hermosillo needed more intensive medical care (they said she would often “go catatonic” and sometimes just wander off without explanation), but the family had limited financial resources. She had also been placed on a psychiatric hold and hospitalized for several days prior to Baby Noe’s death.


“Something happened to her. Nothing ever could have forced her to stop loving that baby, except psychosis,” Goodman said during the sanity trial, per a report from City News Service. “When Noe Jr. was born, there was something that went wrong and you’ll hear it was chemical. Sonia had become severely mentally ill.”


Goodman also argued that the family lacked health insurance and often couldn’t afford to fill Hermosillo’s prescription medications.


“Days would go by and she doesn’t sleep,” Goodman told jurors. “Her husband was tying ropes to her because she would leave and wander around the park. That’s bipolar and mania—and she was also depressed.”


Deputy District Attorney Mena Guirguis reportedly told jurors that Hermosillo did have “very severe depression, calling it “sad,” and “tragic,” but said even severe depression “is not legal insanity.”
lawandcrime.com

Jury Finds California Mother Was Sane When She Threw Special Needs Infant Son Off the Roof of Hospital Parking Structure

A California jury on Monday decided that a mother who drove her special needs infant son to the top floor of a children’s hospital parking garage and pushed him to his death was legally sane at the time she committed the crime.
lawandcrime.com lawandcrime.com
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A 42-year-old woman was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years to life in prison for dropping her 7-month-old son to his death from a Children's Hospital of Orange County parking structure a decade ago.
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Sonia Hermosillo gave a tearful plea to Orange County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Menninger to be granted probation. Hermosillo pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but jurors rejected that and convicted her Aug. 11 of murder and child assault causing death.


"I truly regret what I did," Hermosillo said through a translator.
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"I am asking for an opportunity... I want to be with my daughters. I plead with you, your honor. I know what I did was wrong and regret doing it from the bottom of my heart. If you could just give me an opportunity please."


Menninger said Hermosillo's son, Noe Medina Jr., was an especially vulnerable victim.
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Menninger also noted how Hermosillo's husband had taken steps to protect their son, but that the defendant took advantage of a short moment when he was showering to take the baby to the hospital.


"She left a note of apology and escaped the house with baby Noe," Menninger said. "Baby Noe had no way to protect himself."
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Menninger also said the assault included planning.


"She waited till she got that tiny opportunity... to successfully complete the murder," Menninger said.
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Hermosillo may have suffered from a delusion that her son, who was born with flat-head and twisted-neck syndrome, would never grow up, but the judge said the infant was expected to "be perfectly normal."

Menninger noted that Hermosillo removed the baby's helmet before hurling him to his death.
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The defendant's daughter, Johana Hermosillo, tearfully told the judge that her mother was loving and caring to her before the birth of Noe "changed her." She said she misses her mother, who calls her twice a week from the Orange County Jail to check up on her.


"It's very hard to see her this way,'' Johana Hermosillo said. "I think about her every day."
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She also remembered how the whole family "loved and cared'' for Noe.


"She was never the same after that happened," Johana Hermosillo said of her brother's birth. "I just want my mom back."
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Hermosillo's attorney, Jacqueline Goodman, said the baby's father has continued to support her and "understands she was sick."


Goodman told the judge, "I wish we could get to a day where we meet hurt with healing rather than blame... She's a victim in this case. The real victim is Ms. Hermosillo and her husband who lost his only son, and the daughters who lost their baby brother. Not one of them who loves this baby doesn't blame Ms. Hermosillo."
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Menninger rejected Goodman's motion for a new trial based on a claim that the court interpreter had to handle translations -- sometimes form multiple people at once -- during the trial.
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Hermosillo was convicted of first-degree murder and child assault causing death. Jurors in September determined she was sane at the time of the crime.


The defendant made incriminating statements to police following the Aug. 22, 2011, death of her son, Deputy District Attorney Mena Guirguis said.
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Hermosillo told police, "No, I would rather he died," and said she killed him "because he's sick," and "that's why I don't love him," according to Guirguis.


Experts for the defense testified during the sanity phase that Hermosillo suffered from post-partum psychosis, while experts for the prosecution said she was depressed. One expert determined Hermosillo had bipolar-type schizo-affective disorder, according to the defense.
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If she was truly remorseful, she would accept her punishment and not beg for an "opportunity",
aka. to face zero consequences,
so she can move on with *her* life and be with *her* daughters.

All I hear is waaaa, me me me.



"B-b-b-but.... she's too sick and poor to NOT commit filicide! It's not her fault!"

Too poor to treat her mental health, but not too poor to have a third child because the missus absolutely HAD to have a male.

She can fuck right off with that shit.



PS: You know what else is a mental illness that can affect your thought processes?

Substance abuse disorder.

You wouldn't see anyone arguing that a heroin addict *isn't* reaponsible for exposing their children to the dangers of their illness.

Double standards.

Alxprkrkrls said:
She should be in an institution like Andrea Yates. She was obviously very sick and is remorseful.
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@notausername - I see your points fully, and I agree with most of them. When it comes to PPP though, I have to disagree. It's a real, legit mental health issue, when your brain becomes disconnected from reality via the hormones coursing through your body, your thoughts and actions are not your own. That being said, I haven't read anything that confirms she was diagnosed with PPP, I've only heard that she and her family have put it out there as a reason/explanation for her actions.

But yeah, that whole "please just give me a chance" bit pissed me off too. Do you mean the same chance that you didn't give little Noe, bish???
 
BuffettGirl said:
@notausername - I see your points fully, and I agree with most of them. When it comes to PPP though, I have to disagree. It's a real, legit mental health issue, when your brain becomes disconnected from reality via the hormones coursing through your body, your thoughts and actions are not your own. That being said, I haven't read anything that confirms she was diagnosed with PPP, I've only heard that she and her family have put it out there as a reason/explanation for her actions.

But yeah, that whole "please just give me a chance" bit pissed me off too. Do you mean the same chance that you didn't give little Noe, bish???
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You're right. PPP is real, and surely on the level of schizoaffective disorders... It wasn't my intention to diminish its seriousness. And it's clear to me that this woman is deeply mentally ill, and may well have been suffering from real psychosis.

I think my wording came out a bit harsh because of my irritation at the hypocrisy and callousness in her statements after-the-fact.

But regardless of whether she suffered from it or not... would institutionalization over prison (where she lives) really change outcomes for anyone involved?

Legitimate question, no sarcasm intended.

I might be wrong, but I just get the feeling that even if she were to do the work in institution, take meds, get better, get sterilized to protect any potential future babies...

...I think she wouldn't think twice at the chance to have a son that isn't "broken".

Can we trust the state to prevent her from getting cocky, stopping her meds, undoing the procedure, and starting a new life all over again only to end up throwing another kid off a building somewhere down the line?

I believe most people lack self-awareness in general, but it seems especially true for people who are selfish and mentally ill.

What do you think?
 
@notausername - I can't fault your thinking at all. I agree with everything you just said. I was trying to make the point that PPP is real. I don't think she is suffering from it. Or was. Her actions don't indicate that to me and like I said, she hasn't been diagnosed with it that I've found. I just wanted to make clear the PPP is real and also that I don't think she actually suffered from it. ;)
 
notausername said:
If she was truly remorseful, she would accept her punishment and not beg for an "opportunity",
aka. to face zero consequences,
so she can move on with *her* life and be with *her* daughters.

All I hear is waaaa, me me me.



"B-b-b-but.... she's too sick and poor to NOT commit filicide! It's not her fault!"

Too poor to treat her mental health, but not too poor to have a third child because the missus absolutely HAD to have a male.

She can fuck right off with that shit.



PS: You know what else is a mental illness that can affect your thought processes?

Substance abuse disorder.

You wouldn't see anyone arguing that a heroin addict *isn't* reaponsible for exposing their children to the dangers of their illness.

Double standards.
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She doesn't realize that she will move on with *her* life and be with *her* daughters...
Of course, being with her daughters means they have to want to visit.
 
cubby said:
Let's see mania, bipolar, psychosis, catatonia, Was anything left out of her diagnosis.


We'll see about that when she turns down every chance of parole she gets because she knows she did something horrendous.
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From what has been reported Andrea Yates declines a review every year to see if she is eligible for release, she chooses to stay and undergo treatment.
 
Alxprkrkrls said:
From what has been reported Andrea Yates declines a review every year to see if she is eligible for release, she chooses to stay and undergo treatment.
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That's what I've read too, so as far as I can tell she wants to be incarcerated because she knows she killed her children and is remorseful. So if Sonia's like Andrea then she should accept her punishment and not want to be out on the world to possibly hurt another child, if her PPP was so bad.
 
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