Couple Held in Baby’s Death

A Garden Grove woman and her live-in boyfriend have been arrested in the death of her 6-month-old daughter, who police say was killed by a blow to the head, police said Tuesday.

Garden Grove police said they found numerous inconsistencies in the couple’s statements after they brought Diana Hernandez to UCI Medical Center in Orange shortly before her death at 2:10 a.m. Monday.

Alma Hernandez, 29, told police that she arrived home from work early Monday morning to find her daughter vomiting. The girl had been under the care of Hernandez’s boyfriend, Rodrigo Martinez, 23, said Sgt. Scott Watson, head of the department’s homicide unit.

Hernandez and Martinez told hospital staff that Diana had fallen and hit her head. But an autopsy by the Orange County Coroner’s Office uncovered a large fracture on the back of Diana’s skull caused by a blow to the head, Watson said.

“There were many inconsistencies with their stories,” he said.

Investigation also revealed that the baby had been treated in September for a broken arm, but that had not been reported to police, Watson said.

Martinez, a laborer, and Hernandez, a waitress, were arrested Monday and were being held at the Orange County Jail in Santa Ana.

Martinez was booked on suspicion of murder with bail set at $1 million. Hernandez was booked on suspicion of felony child endangerment. Her bail was $100,000.