Oxnard couple plead guilty to murder of newborn

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – Both people responsible for the death of a newborn at St. John's Medical Center in Oxnard have pled guilty to murder charges.

Andrea Torralba Camacho was in a relationship with David Luna Villa when they moved to Oxnard from Oaxaca, Mexico in early 2019.

Camacho, who was pregnant from an alleged rape that occurred in Oaxaca, gave birth to a healthy boy named Diego on Jul. 18, 2019 at St. John's Medical Center.

After both adults attempted to kill the newborn that night while in the hospital, Villa strangled the infant, placed Diego in his bassinet, and called a nurse.

Diego was taken to the intensive care unit where he was declared dead the next day, Jul. 19, 2019.

Villa and Camacho were charged with murder and assault on a child causing death.

Camacho pled guilty to murder in the second degree on Jan. 20, 2023 and is set to be sentenced on Mar. 29, 2023 in Ventura County Superior Court.

Villa pled guilty to willful, deliberate, and premeditated first-degree murder on Feb. 27, 2023. He is scheduled for sentencing on Mar. 30, 2023 in Ventura County Superior Court.

“This case is a tragedy that was completely preventable,” explained Senior Deputy District Attorney Amber Lee, the prosecutor of this case. “California’s Safe Surrender Baby Law would have allowed the defendants to walk away from the hospital and leave baby Diego in the care of medical staff. However, Villa chose to take the life of a defenseless infant who was less than a day old."

The Safe Surrender Baby Law allows a parent or guardian to confidentially surrender an infant under four days old to any hospital emergency room or designated fire station according to Ventura County's District Attorney's Office. If the infant has not been abused or neglected, the person may surrender them without fear of arrest or prosecution for child abandonment.

Babies surrendered in this manner receive any necessary medical treatment and are eventually placed in adoptive care.