One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
OC Mom Takes Plea Deal for Drowning Newborn Son in Toilet, Hiding Body in Trashcan
Valderrama at the time of her April 2010 booking (Fullerton PD)
A 21-year-old Fullterton woman has accepted a plea deal for the death of her newborn son, and will not be charged with his murder. Yanira Bernice Valderrama is accused of drowning the baby boy in a toilet then hiding his body in a trashcan, according to the OC Register. She pleaded guilty Monday to felony child abuse, and will be sentenced later this month.Authorities say Valderrama concealed her pregnancy from her relatives, and gave birth to her son in the bathroom of the family home on September 4, 2009. Upon hearing her mother approach the room, Valderrama submerged the newborn in the toilet. When she removed the body, she wrapped it in a t-shirt and left him in the garbage can in the bedroom.
Ultimately, Valderrama's mother found blood in the bathroom, as well as the placenta. The police located the baby's body in the trashcan.
Valderrama was not arrested until April 2010.
It is not known what length of prison term Valderrama faces under her plea deal. She will be sentenced October 21.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
