Bruised Body of Toddler Discovered

Police are investigating the death of a 1 1/2-year-old Garden Grove boy whose burned and bruised body was discovered Friday night outside a Santa Ana convalescent hospital.

Police were able to identify the boy, Joshua Troy Massengill, from a bracelet he was wearing. Investigators interviewed the boy’s mother, who told detectives that her son was with another person in the hours before the body was found, said Santa Ana Police Lt. Bob Chavez.

Police have made no arrests in the case and are searching for a man, perhaps the mother’s former boyfriend, for questioning, said police Lt. Dave Petko.

Joshua was “out of the care and custody of the mother for an extended period of time,” Petko said. “At this point, [detectives] are trying locate the male individual.”

Police did not release the names of either the man or Joshua’s mother.

A worker discovered the fully clothed toddler about 5:30 p.m. Friday outside the Western Medical Center Bartlett Facility in Santa Ana. Police described the facility on Washington Avenue as a convalescent hospital.

Officers summoned to the scene found that Joshua was not breathing, and paramedics pronounced him dead a few minutes later, Chavez said.

Police believe Joshua died of “severe trauma” and said he appeared to have bruises and steam burns on his body. Detectives also suspect that the boy was sexually abused but won’t be sure until tests are performed, Chavez said.

A nursing supervisor at the convalescent hospital declined to comment on the case. But residents who live near the hospital expressed shock at the boy’s death.

“My wife saw the police cars there last night, but we didn’t know what it was all about,” said Raul Garza, a 39-year-old mechanic who lives a block from the hospital. “It’s a really sick thing to happen. . . . I’m sad for him.”

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Santa Ana Police Department at (714) 834-4801.