Orange County woman charged with attempted murder for allegedly trying to throw boy off bridge

A 23-year-old Orange County woman was charged Tuesday with one felony count of attempted murder after authorities say she tried to push a 13-year-old boy off a bridge last week.

Stephanie Rose Redondo was arrested Friday by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and is being held on a $500,000 bail, according to prosecutors. She also faces misdemeanor counts of battery and assault.

The charges stem from an incident Friday afternoon while members of the Capistrano Valley High School cross country team were running on a sidewalk in Ladera Ranch near the Crown Valley Parkway Bridge.

Prosecutors allege that Redondo lunged at one of the teenagers in an attempt to push him into traffic. She is then accused of putting a 13-year-old runner in a headlock and trying to push him over the bridge. Additionally, Redondo is believed to have punched a 14-year-old runner who came at her.

The teenagers “were able to fight off the suspect and were not injured,” according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. There is no information available about whether anything led up to the attack.

“The Orange County district attorney’s office and the county of Orange have extensive services and programs to help assist the homeless and mentally ill. Help is available,” Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said in a statement. “Homeless individuals who refuse help and instead choose to commit crimes and victimize other people will be prosecuted. No one in our county should be forced to put up with someone who chooses to be a danger and a menace to our society.”

Authorities have said that Redondo was experiencing homelessness at the time of the attack.

Court records show that Redondo pleaded guilty in May 2015 to a misdemeanor vandalism charge for causing $400 or more in damage. She was sentenced to three years probation, 30 days in jail, one year with a license suspension and an anger-management program. She was also ordered to pay restitution.

In August 2016, a relative filed in probate court to place Redondo in a conservatorship, according to court records. The case was filed as a mental health matter.

The following April, Redondo faced a misdemeanor charge for possession of a controlled substance. In July 2017, Redondo was again arrested for misdemeanor possession and also falsely representing herself to an officer. She pleaded guilty to the April and July charges in February 2018 and was sentenced to 10 days in jail, according to the case details on the Orange County Superior Court’s website.