SANTA ANA : Hearing Begins for Uncle Charged in Abuse of Boy

A woman charged with torturing and sexually abusing her 10-year-old nephew once slapped her own son so hard she knocked out one of his teeth, and would use makeup on the boys to cover their bruises, according to testimony during a court hearing Friday.

Cynthia Medina, 31, of Orange is charged with three counts of felony child abuse and one count of torture. The torture charge is unprecedented in Orange County criminal history.

Medina’s husband, Edward, 45, also is charged with three counts of felony child abuse for allegedly doing nothing to aid the children during the abuse.

Friday’s testimony from two Orange police investigators came during the start of a preliminary hearing for Edward Medina in Orange County Central Municipal Court. The hearing is expected to conclude Monday.

The testimony included graphic details about the attack on the nephew. Cynthia Medina allegedly punished the boy for touching an ashtray by beating him and anally penetrating him with a small baseball bat. The boy’s injuries were so severe he had to be fitted temporarily with a colostomy bag.

Edward Medina allegedly walked into the room when Cynthia Medina was abusing the boy and demanded, “What the hell are you doing?” but later left the room, according to testimony from Orange Detective Patrick Thayer.

The Medinas were caring for the boy because his own mother could no longer do so. The nephew has since been placed in foster care. The couple’s son is living with his grandparents.

Thayer also testified that information he gathered from interviews with the abused nephew and Edward Medina indicated the latter did nothing to help the boys and once even held the child’s arms as he struggled to evade his aunt’s blows.

Edward Medina told authorities that his wife handled the discipline in the house, Thayer said. Once, when he tried to stop her from hitting the nephew, she warned him: “Back off,” Thayer testified.