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Mother, boyfriend accused of strangling newborn son in hospital, police say

David Villa, 21, and Andrea Torralba, 20, both of Oxnard, are being held in the Ventura County Jail on suspicion of felony assault on a child causing death. They are accused of strangling their newborn son because they did not want him.

OXNARD, Calif. — A California woman and her boyfriend have been charged in connection with their newborn son’s death after investigators learned they strangled the boy at the hospital shortly after he was born, authorities said.

Andrea Torralba, 20, and David Villa, 21, both of Oxnard, are being held in the Ventura County Jail on suspicion of felony assault on a child causing death, Oxnard Police Department officials said.

Jail records show Villa, who is described as a field worker, is being held in lieu of $5 million. ABC 7 in Los Angeles reported that Torralba's bail was set at $1 million.

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Oxnard police investigators said officers were called just before 8 a.m. Friday to St. John's Medical Center, where they learned a newborn boy was in critical condition with serious injuries. The boy was found unresponsive and despite all medical efforts, he died of his injuries.

Detectives from the department's Family Protection Unit learned that Torralba and Villa strangled the newborn until he lost consciousness, police officials said.

Oxnard police Sgt. Brandon Ordelheide told ABC 7 that the couple, when questioned by detectives, admitted they did not want the baby.

Both were arrested and charged in the boy’s death.