Mother of Battered and Abandoned 2-Year-Old Twins Seized at Hospital

The mother of battered twin 2-year-olds, who were found wandering around a Del Mar hotel Saturday, was arrested Monday night when she tried to visit her sons at the hospital where they are being treated, authorities said Tuesday.

Sheriff’s child abuse detectives arrested Dorothy Denise DeSimone, 25, of Oceanside, in connection with felony child abuse. She is being held in Las Colinas Detention Center in lieu of $250,000 bail, said Deputy Al Bates, spokesman for the sheriff’s department.

Sheriff’s detectives from the Encinitas station arrested DeSimone after she showed up about 7 p.m. at Children’s Hospital, where her twin sons, Anthony and Andrew, are being treated.

DeSimone denied any role in the abuse of the children, who suffered severe bruises and cigarette burns on their stomachs and sides, authorities said. Both children were sexually abused. They were found wandering the halls of the Del Mar Inn on Camino Del Mar.

Still Seeking Boyfriend

DeSimone told authorities that the abuse was at the hands of her boyfriend, Charles Thomas McCoy, 27, of Oceanside, who police are still seeking in connection with the case.

Detective Ed Isacco, child abuse investigator at the Encinitas Station, said that DeSimone “denied that she did it. The kids were with the boyfriend, and so we have to talk to him. He still hasn’t been contacted yet.”

Isacco said that despite numerous tips from the community, they have no leads in the search for McCoy. “He may be in the area here or may have left the state,” he said. “It’s hard to determine.”

McCoy was last driving a dark gray Camaro with a red stripe around the bottom and an Alberta license plate. It was not clear whether he had any previous arrests, but Isacco said McCoy had a lengthy traffic violation record.

Court Order Claimed

Isacco said that DeSimone and some of her relatives told authorities that a juvenile court ordered her not to have contact with McCoy, but authorities have not verified that.

The two children will remain at Children’s Hospital for the next few days to be treated for their wounds. Mark Morelli, spokesman for Children’s Hospital, said that despite the twins’ ordeal, they are doing remarkably well. Both are eating and drinking, and responding to holding and rocking by the nursing staff, he said.

“They both remain in about the same medical health. There’s some improvement, but technically . . . Andrew’s in good condition and Anthony’s in fair. Both are improving, physically as well as emotionally. They’re on the road to recovery,” Morelli said.

“I’m not a medical expert,” Morelli added, “but it does appear that the two of them having gone through what they went through--together--may help speed the healing process.”