SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 24-year-old stepmother who beat her two-year-old stepson into a coma, leaving the toddler permanently paralyzed with severe brain damage because she was upset the boy’s father was gone for long periods of time and talked about the boy’s mother, was sentenced today to life in prison, according to the OCDA.
Noelia Ayala, 24, of Garden Grove, was convicted last month by a jury of one felony count of torture, one felony count of assault resulting in a comatose state or paralysis of a child under the age of 8, and two felony enhancements of causing great bodily injury on a child under five.
The boy’s father, 36-year-old Alberto Aragon, has been charged with one count of felony child abuse and endangerment, for delaying in providing medical care to his severely injured son. He faces a maximum sentence of six years in state prison if convicted.
On August 23, 2019, paramedics were called to a Garden Grove home to treat a two-year-old boy who was vomiting blood and coming in and out of consciousness.
When the boy arrived at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), doctors discovered the toddler had bleeding on his brain, extensive bruising on his face, arms, legs, back and genitals, apparent bite marks on his lips, and a cut to the back of his head. The bleeding on his brain was so severe that he had blood coming out of his ears and had to be rushed into emergency surgery where part of his skull was removed.
Despite Aragon’s assertions that his son had suffered the injuries as a result of a fall at a pool, doctors determined that the little boy’s injuries were in various stages of healing and had occurred over a period of time. Ayala and Aragon were arrested.
The boy, who is now seven, was left with permanent paralysis of his left side along with severe brain damage.
“The image of two-year-old’s Spider-Man sheet soaked in blood as a result of a stepmother’s beating is something that will never leave you,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “This little boy was a happy, healthy two-year-old until he was left alone in the arms of a sadistic stepmother who used him as a punching bag to take out her anger over the issues in her relationship. The miracle workers at CHOC have rescued another defenseless child from the brink of death after being subjected to unspeakable violence by the very people who are supposed to protect these children. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will never stop fighting to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Bethel Cope-Vega of the Family Protection Unit is prosecuting this case.
