Dead Girl’s Parents Face Abuse Charges

A Superior Court judge denied a request from defense attorneys Thursday to dismiss abuse charges stemming from three years ago against the teenage parents of Oxnard toddler Joselin Hernandez, who was beaten to death in June.

Judge Charles McGrath set a Feb. 13 fitness hearing for Rogelio Hernandez, 19, and Gabriela Hernandez, 18.

The couple are charged with five felony offenses, including torture and child abuse for allegedly burning and beating Joselin as an infant in 1994.

The child was taken from the parents after being hospitalized with broken legs, fractured ribs and burns to her hands and feet. She was placed in the custody of her maternal grandmother.

In March 1996, the grandmother died in a car accident and the child was returned to her parents. She died three months later of blunt injuries to her stomach.

The parents were charged with murder in November, and a few days later prosecutors filed a separate complaint for the 1994 injuries. A complaint alleging abuse was never filed after the child was hospitalized three years ago.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Dee Corona said the statute of limitations on felonies is three years, which means the parents can still be prosecuted for the alleged offenses.

Prosecutors are seeking to have the charges added to the murder case, but must first go through a juvenile hearing because the parents were only 16 at the time of the child’s 1994 injuries.

The parents were bound over for trial on murder and related charges Jan. 6 after a lengthy preliminary hearing. They are scheduled for an arraignment in Superior Court on Monday.