Man Charged With Murder in Beating Death of His Girlfriend’s Baby

A 24-year-old man was charged Monday with the beating death of his live-in girlfriend’s 20-month-old child, according to the district attorney’s office.

Jose Gerardo Acosta Jr., 24, is charged with murder and is being held on $1-million bail at the county jail.

The child’s mother, Brenda Renee Lingle, 20, was arrested on suspicion of willful harm or injury to a child and released on a $50,000 bond, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Jennifer Turkat. Acosta and Lingle were arrested Thursday.

Rachael Lingle died Nov. 30 at Valley Presbyterian Hospital, according to the county coroner’s office.

The cause of death is still being investigated, but the death was ruled a homicide, prompting an investigation by the LAPD’s Valley Abused Child Unit. “Their investigation revealed that the baby received the fatal injuries while in the sole care of the victim’s mother and her boyfriend,” said Officer Conrado Torrez.

Turkat said she believes that only Acosta was involved in the killing but could not speculate on a motive.

“We don’t know what it was,” Turkat said. “She was a baby. Toddlers don’t do much. They cry and fuss.”

Turkat said the child died of “blunt force trauma. She could either have been smashed onto an object or an object could have been used to hit her.”

Turkat said the alleged beating took place in the mother’s Van Nuys apartment and caused severe brain injuries and fractures to the skull and clavicle. Hours after the attack, the comatose baby was taken to the emergency room of Valley Presbyterian Hospital on Nov. 19.

She never woke from the coma and was on life support until she died 11 days later, Torrez said.

Along with the murder charge, Acosta was accused of fatally injuring a child, which carries a 25-year maximum sentence if convicted. Authorities have yet to decide whether to pursue first-degree or other murder charges.

Lingle’s charge carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison if convicted, Turkat said.

Acosta’s preliminary hearing is scheduled Dec. 23, and Lingle’s arraignment is scheduled Dec. 31, Turkat said.

Times staff writer Evelyn Larrubia contributed to this story.