Clinic Worker Charged With Murder in Boy’s Death

SANTA ANA —  As police unveiled sweeping plans Friday to verify the license of every physician working at a clinic in the city, they announced murder charges against a man without a physician’s license who they believe contributed to the death of a 13-month-old boy and accused the suspect’s wife of an attempted cover-up.

Police Chief Paul Walters also revealed new details suggesting that the wife of would-be physician Gamaliel Moreno falsified documents in the dead child’s medical files. Eulalia Parra Moreno, 33, has been arrested as an accessory to murder. Her husband has fled the area, officials said.

Christopher Martinez’s parents said the boy was suffering flu-like symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea, when he was taken to the Consultorio Medico. Police said Moreno gave the baby five injections of an unknown substance over three days, and told his parents not to feed him or give him water so the diarrhea could run its course.

Walters said Christopher died April 23 from “major organ failure due to dehydration,” but the Orange County medical examiner’s office said it is awaiting results of toxicology tests before determining the exact cause of death.

Walters said the murder charges were filed because authorities believe that Moreno’s actions resulted in Christopher’s death and that Moreno knowingly treated the boy even though he did not have the expertise.

The child’s death focused scrutiny on the dozens of independently run clinics that are popular in many Orange County immigrant communities. Most are run by licensed physicians.

In the wake of the tragedy, police and investigators from the Medical Board of California will form a task force to examine every medical clinic in Santa Ana to assure that physicians are licensed, Walters said.

On Friday police said the fugitive, a Mexican citizen, has been charged with murder, practicing medicine without a license and falsifying evidence. Santa Ana Police Det. Tom Marty said Mexican authorities have been alerted to the charges against Moreno.

Medical board officials also confirmed Friday that the suspect was the focus of an investigation last year when he practiced medicine at another Santa Ana clinic. But board spokeswoman Candice Cohen on Friday said she could not confirm what action, if any, was taken.

Moreno’s wife was arrested at her Orange home April 24 and charged with being an accessory to murder, practicing medicine without a license and falsifying evidence, Walters said, adding that she is being held at Orange County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Walters said police did not announce her arrest sooner for fear of jeopardizing the investigation.

Police said they do not believe Eulalia Moreno treated patients at the clinic, but charged her with running an unlicensed practice because she was a key employee at the business, which had a staff of four, including the Morenos, officials said.

According to Walters, Eulalia Moreno altered entries in Christopher’s file about his treatment at the clinic, but the chief declined to discuss the changes in detail.

Christopher’s parents, Salvador Martinez and Alicia Ortiz, said Friday that police had not informed them of Eulalia Moreno’s arrest.

A weeping Ortiz said she blamed herself for her son’s death. The baby was usually taken to a legitimate clinic on 17th Street, near their apartment. But on the day he got sick, she called the clinic and a nurse told her that although the waiting room was full, doctors would see the boy if Ortiz considered it an emergency.

“I didn’t think it was an emergency, so I drove to Consultorio Medico. Our friend had told us about Moreno. I had no reason to believe he wasn’t a doctor. All I wanted was for my son to get better,” the mother said.