Sara Orozco Magana, 38, pleaded not guilty Monday to attempting to kidnap a newborn baby in Santa Ana while posing as a social worker last month, according to KTLA.
Magana allegedly arrived at a home along Evergreen Street, near Warner Avenue, on June 7 and told a mother that she needed to take her 1-week-old son into custody, authorities said.
Magana was charged last week with felony charges of attempted kidnapping of a child under the age of 14 and attempting to take a minor from a parent or legal custodian.
On June 7, 2019, Magana is accused of knocking on the door of a Santa Ana home, telling the new mother that she was from Social Services and that she needed to take the woman’s one-week-old son. Magana falsely told the mother her name was “Mayela Ortega” and declined to give identification proving she was a government employee sent to the home, according to the SAPD.
When questioned by the baby’s mother, Magana said that a doctor probably reported abuse.
Magana is accused of threatening to call the police if the woman did not give her the newborn. The woman refused and the victim’s sister recorded the woman, later identified as Magana, leaving the home.
The footage was later released by the Santa Ana Police Department in an attempt to identify the woman.
Magana was arrested after she came to the Santa Ana Police Department after seeing the footage on the news.
She was released from custody on June 10 after posting $100,000 bail. She was arraigned yesterday at the Central Justice Center.
Bertagna said investigators were able to determine there is no evidence showing Magana is a social worker.
