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Vista mom sentenced to 3 years in baby's death
By: SCOTT MARSHALL - Staff Writer | ∞
VISTA -- The mother of a newborn baby boy found dead in the trash outside her north Vista home was sentenced Wednesday to three years in state prison.
Edith Ledesma, 25, pleaded guilty in July to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the death of her son, who was found May 15, 2006. A law enforcement search for the child followed a Tri-City Medical Center official's report that a patient said she had given birth over the weekend and abandoned her baby, a sheriff's lieutenant said then.
Ledesma appeared to look down with a tissue in her hands Wednesday morning throughout a sentencing hearing at which attorneys argued to the court about the circumstances surrounding her baby's death.
Family and supporters of Ledesma nearly filled the courtroom.
Deputy District Attorney Per Hellstrom argued that Ledesma was the one person who had a duty to speak up for and protect her baby, but that she "intended for that child to die" when she placed him in a blanket in a plastic bag and left it by the trash bin.
The baby was found in the bin under bags of household trash, but prosecutors were unable to prove who put the baby in the bin, Hellstrom said.
"Can one imagine a more vulnerable victim?" Hellstrom said of the infant. "It's impossible to imagine."
Ledesma's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Matthew Roberts, argued, however, that Ledesma was not a threat to society, but a young woman caught up in "bizarre circumstances."
"Ms. Ledesma does not present a danger to the community or to her other children," Roberts said after referring to a doctor's report he submitted to the court. "It's very clear this is not something that's going to happen again, and she will not be back before the court in her lifetime."
Ledesma had no criminal record, worked for a fast-food restaurant, and was an "excellent mother" for her three children, who lived with her and her common-law husband at the Vista house they shared with Ledesma's parents and sister and others, Roberts said.
However, Ledesma was "completely overwhelmed" about what to do when she suspected she was pregnant, in part because of the vasectomy her husband received and previous unfounded accusations of infidelity he had made about her, Roberts said.
Ledesma also suffered medical complications related to the birth that caused her to lose a lot of blood, go into shock and need life-saving medical care to prevent her death, Roberts said.
Hellstrom said characterizations of Ledesma as too weak after giving birth to tell anyone about the baby were "factually incorrect" and that the overall circumstances of what happened suggest she intended for the baby to die.
Hellstrom said Ledesma placed the baby in a blanket in a plastic bag and placed it next to the garbage bin, which was behind a 6-foot-tall gate and in a location where it would be less likely for her family members to hear, Hellstrom said.
Roberts previously has said the baby's face was not covered. Hellstrom said Ledesma told investigators that she tied the plastic bag loosely.
Hellstrom said Ledesma denied giving birth in statements she made to paramedics at her house and to medical personnel at the hospital. When she finally admitted having a baby, she initially gave the wrong location for where she had left it, Hellstrom said.
Superior Court Judge Timothy Casserly said that there was no "correct sentence" for Ledesma and that the case was frustrating to him because he could not impose a sentence that would satisfy everyone in the community. Saying he was following the rules of court, Casserly decided to send Ledesma to prison, but for a three-year term at the low end of the sentencing options the law provides.
-- Contact staff writer Scott Marshall at (760) 631-6623 or smarshall@nctimes.com.
Previous articles:
Mother pleads guilty to baby's death; faces up to 11 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter
Vista woman will stand trial for murder in newborn's death
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geez wrote on Sep 26, 2007 11:42 PM:who throws their own flesh and blood into a dumpster....Let her rot in jail.
WC wrote on Sep 27, 2007 6:27 AM:No child EVER deserves to be abused let alone killed...May she find peace within herself...and let's hope her children are NEVER returned to her...
Horrifying wrote on Sep 27, 2007 6:53 AM:The idea that this woman was given only three years in jail for killing a baby is horrifying. I believe her husband and family were complicit in this crime as well. Why didn't they observe the disappearance of this new baby immediately? It's impossible. The fact that she lied about the location of the child to paramedics shows that even when she had the chance to save the baby she wouldn't. For the public defender to say that she presents no risk of danger to her other children is absurd, she murdered her own child because of fear of what her husband might say or accuse her of-what happens if he or someone else says something that upsets her. Children are not safe in her care. A full investigation of this woman and the family is in order...-
Bonnie wrote on Sep 27, 2007 7:04 AM:Parents killing their children is not uncommon...but it's usually the result of a relationship breaking up. Dead kids listed alphabetically are on the Kids Killed section of [Family Law Courts] In this case, no one suggested post-partem which is a medical condition.
Solve the problem? wrote on Sep 27, 2007 7:44 AM:Is a requirement of this murderer's sentence going to include that she will never be allowed to have children for the rest of her life? Probably not since that would deny her the civil rights that should have been thrown away when she threw away her first child.
cts wrote on Sep 27, 2007 8:21 AM:Only god knows what possesses people to do these kinds of things. I pray for the other children. 3 year in prison is nothing compared to the eternity in hell if she really did these things.
Retroactive Abortion wrote on Sep 27, 2007 8:33 AM:Babies are killed in the womb by the millions. To think if this woman would have killed her baby 2 days earlier while he lay safely nesteled in her womb there would be no problem. We live in a sick world!
There is no excuse wrote on Sep 27, 2007 9:17 AM:Where is the justice for this baby. This person could have taken the baby to any hospital and they would have taken the child no questions asked. At least the baby would have still been alive. Three years is not enough.
Trish wrote on Sep 27, 2007 9:27 AM:This women should serve life in prison. If saving face with her common law husband was the intent, why see the pregnancy to fullterm? She and someone else (not her husband) created life, carried life, gave birth to life only to destroy it? This women should serve life in prison.-
woman of GOD wrote on Sep 27, 2007 9:40 AM:Let this be the sentencing of our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST. 1John Chapter 1 verses 8-10, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,he is faithful and just to forgive us ours sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word not in us." Only GOD can judge us. Who are we to say who shall rot and who shall make it into heaven..May GOD bless all of you who speak nothing but evilness..For our LORD does not discriminate on any.He died for our sins.."He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Cor. 9:6-
Only 3 years? wrote on Sep 27, 2007 10:03 AM:Normally I feel that we give prison sentences that far exceed what it would take to teach a person a lesson, but in this case I feel that the sentence is far to low. A baby is dead at it's own mother's hand yet she will serve less time in prison then many others who have committed much less serious crimes. And to top it all off, she lied about the locatation of the baby. If having a child is to big of a burdon the baby could have been dropped off at the hospital, no questions asked. Three years for murdering a baby? Has the judge lost their mind?
WOW wrote on Sep 27, 2007 10:39 AM:And how much time did they want to give VICK for dog fighting, this country has mixed up priorities
Sandman wrote on Sep 27, 2007 11:22 AM:A religious nut wrote: "Only GOD can judge us. Who are we to say who shall rot and who shall make it into heaven." Get thee to the headshrinker, pronto. Verily I say unto you, you are totally screwed up. --Sandman 1:13
woman of GOD wrote on Sep 27, 2007 12:00 PM:PROUDLY a religious nut! thank you, i will praise GOD in every aspect possible..screwed up that would be a negative ..who said praising GOD shall send people to therapy..GOD will bless all that seek him..we comment on articles years from now we wont even remember but all that we say..this individual will go on her days remembering the wrongful that she has done but it is between her and our FATHER GOD who will decide if she will make it to eternal life in heaven not you nor anyone else..we are all on the same boat living in this wicked world trying to make it to the only place that matters HEAVEN
Not You wrote on Sep 27, 2007 12:20 PM:Sandman 1:13 - I am not a religious "nut", but if you do believe in a higher power, that higher power will be the ultimate judge - not you.
That's It???? wrote on Sep 27, 2007 12:51 PM:Only 3 years??? I don't get this. What she did to that baby is absolutely disgusting!
Oh come on! wrote on Sep 27, 2007 12:56 PM:Vick got more doing in dogs. Jail is too good here. Turn a dumpster on it's back and put bars in place of the lids, put it out back of the jail. Thats what she deserves. What a joke.
Sickening wrote on Sep 27, 2007 2:21 PM:just sickening. An innocent life isn't worth squat anymore. No wonder nobody has any faith in our justice system.
JB wrote on Sep 27, 2007 2:31 PM:This judge was concerned about "satisfying the community" with his sentence?! What happened to simply carrying out the laws of this country, whether the "community" likes it or not? And I think we all know who he means by "community." Disgusting. At the least, this judge needs to be removed from the bench.
woman of GOD, et al wrote on Sep 27, 2007 4:33 PM:I strongly suspect this woman's religious beliefs - along with typical judgemental comments, rants, raves, and personal interpretations of the Bible from people like you, made her more afraid of having an abortion or taking birth control than trying to hide the pregnancy and ultimately doing something so completely insane. Hey, she had the baby right? Isn't that what women are told by you religious zealots? "It doesn't matter if you're unfit, poor, ignorant or a drug addict, you'd better give birth to that baby or you'll burn in Hell." Had this woman gotten an abortion to begin with, the three kids that did survive would still have a mother, and that innocent baby wouldn't have died such a hideous death.
NCLOCAL wrote on Sep 27, 2007 5:23 PM:ANYONE can own a business and almost ANYONE can have a child. Some business owners treat thier emp[loyees very bad. Some parents treat thier kids very bad. There are no laws prohibiting either of these people from doing these things. BUT, when they get caught, severe justice must be appointed them. This woman should NEVER again see the light of day.
Pappy wrote on Sep 27, 2007 5:54 PM:Reply to 4:33 PM post. You said "...and that innocent baby wouldn't have died such a hideous death." I think it would have a hideous death if aborted, only sooner than it did.
MOM wrote on Sep 27, 2007 6:45 PM:Let me get this right...[kill] your baby get 3 years. Ref an NBA game and cheat get a possible 25 years?????????
Pappy wrote on Sep 27, 2007 10:24 PM:She did a terrible thing and she's being punished for it. Maybe not enough, maybe too much. What depth of soul sickness did she have to sink to do this thing? If she's truly remorseful and realizes how sick she is, doesn't she deserve a chance? I only say this because she has 3 other children that are sharing her sentence with her and will for the rest of their lives. She might be beyond help; she might have a black heart and see nothing wrong with what she did. If so she should probably fry. I hope the judge that gave the seemingly light sentence and her family and friends that support her see something in her that we aren't able to see. She killed a defenseless baby, her own flesh and blood. That’s a lot of bad karma to have to undo. If we loose the capacity for forgiveness and redemption opportunities for our brothers and sisters… I see little hope for mankind.
Jill wrote on Sep 28, 2007 9:21 AM:I believe there is more to this story than we know. If her other children are fine then why would she do this? Was there some complete ignorance involved or something she knows that we don't. Either way she is not saying. Her other children have to live with this knowledge that she could do this, and their security is forever gone.
A good mother? wrote on Sep 28, 2007 9:21 AM:How can they say she was a good mother to her other kids - she killed their brother!
jen wrote on Sep 28, 2007 10:19 AM:put her on death sentece dont do something you wouldnt want done to you....
Pappy wrote on Sep 28, 2007 10:21 AM:At or before the 8th week of pregnancy, an embryo doesn't yet have a completely formed brain or nervous system - hence no feeling. I think abortion at this stage would be far less hideous than throwing a living, breathing, FEELING baby in the trash, don't you??
To NC residents wrote on Sep 28, 2007 10:42 AM:....Remember the name of this judge when he comes up for re-election and vote him out of office. I personally don't know how he can sleep at night given this light sentence to a woman who [killed] her own child.
Mom Of Four wrote on Nov 25, 2007 12:47 AM:She deserves more time.. snybody that can throw there new born baby away and then lie about where she put it. Is not a good mother.. I am 24 years old and i have four children and a single parent.. Don't matter what life brings to me, i'll never give up on these little angels that god has blessed me with.. And plus there was other places she could of left the baby at.. Hospital, police station.. fire station with out no quistions... She deserves Capital Murder...
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