Pregnant Santa Ana mother charged with torturing and abusing her twin toddlers

Sacil Siglaly Lucero, 26, of Santa Ana, a pregnant mother of four, has been charged with torturing and abusing her twin 15-month-old twins, one of whom suffered a brain bleed and partial paralysis and is in critical condition.

Lucero pleaded guilty Friday to one count of assault resulting in comatose state or paralysis of a child younger than 8 and one count of child abuse and endangerment, both felonies, and admitted sentencing enhancements for causing great bodily injury on a child younger than 5.

Prosecutors allege Lucero slammed her daughter’s head into a metal bed frame until the child was rendered unresponsive. Lucero then asked a friend to take the girl to a hospital, where medical staff called the SAPD.

SAPD police investigators then went to Lucero’s home to check on the other children and found that the girl’s twin brother also had injuries consistent with abuse, including skull and rib fractures.

Lucero told the police officers that she slammed her daughter’s head on the pole of a bed after her live-in boyfriend left for a Christmas party. She was also upset about the unplanned pregnancy.

Lucero’s daughter struggled with a brain bleed when brought to the hospital where doctors found she had a broken elbow that was healing. Lucero said she also had kicked and dropped her daughter.

At the time of the beatings she is now facing, Lucero was seven months pregnant and caring for the twins, a 2-year-old and then-7-year- old Emrik Osuna, who was later killed in September of 2020 in Idaho. Emrik’s father Erik Osuna and stepmother Monique Osuna were charged in connection with his death.

Lucero appeared in court Tuesday for arraignment, which was continued to Jan. 12.