Mother Faces Murder Charge in Baby’s Death
A La Habra woman has been charged with the murder of her infant son who died in Claremont after she allegedly left him in a hot car.
Kimberly Sue Fudge, 29, pleaded innocent Wednesday to the murder charge in connection with her 5-month-old son’s death June 14, authorities said.
Fudge, previously pleaded innocent to involuntary manslaughter and child abuse charges. Prosecutors, however, amended the charges to murder Tuesday, a Los Angeles County district attorney’s spokeswoman said.
A Pomona municipal judge ordered Fudge held on $500,000 bail, officials said.
Fudge allegedly left the baby, Cailan Cutillo, inside her car with the doors closed on a day when the temperature inside the car reached almost 120 degrees, police said. Fudge told investigators that she had an argument with the baby’s father the night before, and he had gone to a motel in Claremont. The next morning, she went to see him, leaving the baby in the car. She fell asleep in the motel room, police said, and when she awoke she discovered the child was not breathing.
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