Garden Grove woman who beat 2-year-old stepson into a coma gets life in prison plus 7 years

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNS) -- A 24-year-old woman was sentenced Friday to 12 years to life in prison plus seven years for beating her 2-year-old stepson into a coma that left him paralyzed.

Noelia Ayala of Garden Grove was convicted July 11 of attempted torture and assault resulting in a comatose state or paralysis of a child younger than 8, both felonies with sentencing enhancements for causing great bodily injury to a child younger than 5.

Ayala has credit for 1,077 days behind bars since her arrest.

Co-defendant Alberto Aragon, the boy's 36-year-old father, is awaiting trial on a felony count of child abuse and endangerment. He is accused of delaying medical care, prosecutors said.

Ayala attacked the toddler to punish his father for being gone for long periods of time and talking about the mother of his son, according to the Orange County district attorney's office.

The boy was vomiting blood and drifting in and out of consciousness when paramedics were called to his Garden Grove home Aug. 23, 2019, prosecutors said.

Aragon claimed his son was hurt in a fall at a pool, but doctors determined that some of the injuries were older and healing, prosecutors said.

"The image of two-year-old's Spider-Man sheet soaked in blood as a result of a stepmother's beating is something that will never leave you," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. "This little boy was a happy, healthy two-year-old until he was left alone in the arms of a sadistic stepmother who used him as a punching bag to take out her anger over the issues in her relationship. The miracle workers at (Children's Hospital of Orange County) have rescued another defenseless child from the brink of death after being subjected to unspeakable violence by the very people who are supposed to protect these children.

The boy, who is now 7, is paralyzed on his left side and has significant brain damage, prosecutors said.