Bail at $1 Million for Mother of Slain Baby
The mother of a 2-year-old West Covina girl was in custody Wednesday in lieu of $1-million bail imposed in connection with the murder of the toddler.
The woman, Martha Araceli Alspuro, 25, and her live-in boyfriend, Hector Ubaido Soto, 22, have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and sexual assault in the toddler’s death.
Alspuro pleaded innocent Tuesday to four counts of being an accessory after the fact to murder, rape, sodomy and child molestation in the death of her daughter, Yahior Jessica Alspuro.
Soto pleaded innocent to charges of murder and felony child abuse. He also denied three special circumstances allegations--including murder during a rape, during sodomy and during child molestation--charges that could lead to the death penalty.
Soto was ordered held without bail.
The little girl died at Queen of the Valley hospital early Monday, three days after she had been hospitalized with massive neurological damage. Soto and Alspuro were arrested after he called paramedics Friday evening and said the child had stopped breathing.
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