Garden Grove stepmom gets 19 years for beating 2-year-old into coma, leaving him paralyzed
SANTA ANA, Calif. - A 24-year-old woman was sentenced Friday to 19 years to life in prison for beating her 2-year-old stepson into a coma that left him paralyzed.
Noelia Ayala of Garden Grove was convicted July 11 of attempted torture and assault resulting in a comatose state or paralysis of a child younger than 8, both felonies with sentencing enhancements for causing great bodily injury to a child younger than 5.
Ayala has credit for 1,077 days behind bars since her arrest.
Co-defendant Alberto Aragon, the boy's 36-year-old father, is awaiting trial on a felony count of child abuse and endangerment. He is accused of delaying medical care, prosecutors said.
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The boy was vomiting blood and drifting in and out of consciousness when paramedics were called to his Garden Grove home Aug. 23, 2019, prosecutors said.
Aragon claimed his son was hurt in a fall at a pool, but doctors determined that some of the injuries were older and healing, prosecutors said.
The boy, who is now 7, is paralyzed on his left side and has significant brain damage, prosecutors said.