Man Sentenced To 25 Years To Life For Fatally Beating Daughter, 6 Months
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- A 26-year-old Whitter man was sentenced Thursday to 25 years to life in state prison for fatally beating his 6-month-old daughter.
The fatal beating took place in 2013.
Jurors this past February found Eduardo Orozco guilty of two felony counts, second-degree murder and assault on a child causing death.
Deputy D.A. Michael DeRose, who prosecuted the case, said on the night of May 10, 2013, Orozco was home alone watching his baby daughter, Mia.
During the evening, Orozco called the child's mother to say that Mia was not breathing, the prosecutor said. The mother rushed home, an ambulance was called, and the baby girl was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
According to testimony at trial, Mia's autopsy showed she suffered four broken ribs, two punctured lungs, a lacerated heart and internal bleeding. The child's cause of death was massive blunt-force trauma to the abdomen, the prosecutor said. Moreover, during the investigation, Orozco admitted to hitting his daughter.
Additional trial testimony from Mia's pediatrician revealed that prior to the child's death, there were signs of previous abuse, including bruising on the baby. Furthermore, the autopsy showed healed rib fractures on the child's body.