Santa Ana

Santa Ana Mom Accused of Deliberately Dropping Baby

A neighbor saw the mom and a man having an argument and overheard the defendant threaten to drown her baby, police said.

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A 22-year-old woman has been charged with attempting to kill her 4-month-old daughter in Santa Ana, police said Wednesday.

Brianna Stella Martinez was charged Tuesday with attempted murder and child abuse and endangerment, both felonies, according to court records.

A neighbor who saw Martinez and a man having an argument overheard the defendant threaten to drown her baby, before dropping the girl on the ground from a height of about four feet at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, according to Cpl. Sonia Rono of the Santa Ana Police Department.

The neighbor ran over to see if the baby was OK and then called police, Rono said.

The baby was taken to Children's Hospital of Orange County to be treated for a cut to the chin and bruising to the insides of her arms and left side of her head and ears, Rono said.

Martinez did not enter a plea Tuesday in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana and was scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 2.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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