Baby tossed from OC parking structure dies

ORANGE, Calif. (KABC) -- A 7-month-old baby who was tossed from an Orange County parking structure died on Wednesday, the same day his accused mother made her first court appearance.

Noe Medina Jr. was declared dead at UCI Medical Center before 9:30 a.m. His mother, 31-year-old Sonia Hermosillo, now faces two felony charges of murder and assault on a child with force likely to produce great bodily injury resulting in death.

Noe Medina, the baby's father, has been by his son's side since Monday night, when his wife allegedly pushed the baby off the fourth story of the parking structure at Children's Hospital of Orange County.

Hermosillo appeared before a judge Wednesday afternoon. She showed little emotion as she listened to the judge through a Spanish-speaking interpreter.

The baby's father said their son suffered medical conditions and was undergoing therapy at Children's Hospital two times a week. One problem required him to wear a helmet on his head.

Senior deputy district attorney Scott Simmons alleged that Hermosillo removed the helmet before pushing him off the structure. After that, she got her parking validated.

"That's a fact that could be argued that she did know what was going on," he said. "She knows she's got to get out of the parking structure."

Hours later, police arrested Hermosillo as she drove near the hospital after her husband reported her and the child missing.

Police have not given a motive, but Hermosillo's husband told the Orange County Register that his wife had been suffering from postpartum depression.

If convicted, Hermosillo faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison. She was scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.

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