Homicide Report > Abigail Lara-Morales, 2 [Update]
Abigail Lara-Morales, 2 [Update]
Died July 5, 2011
Abigail Lara-Morales, a 2-year-old Latina, died from head trauma Tuesday, July 5, in the 2900 block of Oakwood Avenue in Lynwood, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
[Editor's note: This death was first reported by the coroner in July, but a determination that the cause was homicide was not made until later. The Times added it to the Homicide Report after that confirmation.]
Paramedics found Abigail unconscious after responding to a 911 call at 2:55 a.m. July 3. She first was taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood and later to Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach, where she was pronounced dead July 5.
“The parents had called 911 after they had inflicted so many injuries, hoping that she’d get better,” said Los Angeles County sheriff's homicide Det. B. Hall, who handled the investigation. “They had put blue paint on the bruises to cover some of it.”
Sheriff’s deputies arrested Abigail’s parents the day after her death. Miriam Abrego, a 24-year-old Latina, was charged with one count of murder, and Michael Lara-Morales, a 23-year-old Latino, was charged with one count of child abuse. Both were charged with assault on a child causing death.
There had been reports of abuse before, Hall said. The couple's two other children are now with their grandparents in San Bernardino.
At a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Dec. 13, in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Compton, Abrego and Lara-Morales addressed the court with their attorneys. Abrego stood 5-feet-4 and Lara-Morales towered over her at 6-feet-7.
Two family members attended the hearing, and Ann Nguyen, who is representing Abrego, told the court that the defense will possibly have four witnesses at the next court appearance. When Nguyen and Connie Quinones, the attorney for Lara-Morales, asked for additional time, Judge John J. Cheroske granted the request and postponed the preliminary hearing until after Jan. 10. But Cheroske expressed displeasure, noting that the hearing already had been delayed several times despite the gravity of the charges.
Abrego is being held on $1-million bail at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. Lara-Morales is being held on $500,000 bail at the Pitchess Detention Center's East Facility in Castaic.
[Updated May 3, 2012: According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, on March 14 Abrego pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and child abuse. Lara-Morales pleaded no contest to one count of voluntary manslaughter, three counts of child abuse and admitted allegations that he inflicted great bodily injury on Abigail.
Deputy District Attorney Adrian Roxas of the Compton Branch Office said Abrego was sentenced to 17 years to life in prison, while Lara-Morales was sentenced to 20 years.]
— Rosanna Xia
- Neighborhood: Lynwood
- Age: 2
- Gender: Female
- Cause: Other
- Day of the week: Tuesday
- Agency: LASD Homicide
- Race/Ethnicity: Latino
- Circumstance: Domestic violence
Nine reader comments about Abigail Lara-Morales
(The Church)
Athough it may seem slender consolation
And easier to say, for you and me,
Today I'd like to ask the congregation
To pray now, for the victim's family.
Give thanks for all their treasured recollections,
Let peace, not retribution, dry their eyes;
Let Heaven heal their bitter introspections
And welcome Lara into Paradise.
We go our ways in hope of safe arrival;
May God protect us from undue alarm.
May Jesus make life more than mere survival,
And shelter all our little ones from harm.
Amen.
Dec. 13, 2011 at 2:52 p.m.
If her other kids were not with her due to abuse allegations; why wasn't Abigail taken?
To think that the last conscience thoughts this baby had was of her own mother beating her to death.
And Mr. Lara-Morales .... where was your moral compass when her mother was beating her child? You too should be charged with murder.
Dec. 14, 2011 at 3:15 p.m.
Both parents should be sterilized as part of their sentence and put away for life.
Dec. 14, 2011 at 6:22 p.m.
As a person who deal with the children courts quite frequently I am amazed at how many parents commit heinious acts against children and are granted visitation rights although monitored soon after the incident...I am all for preserving the family but when you violate a childs trust you should not be a part of their lives thereafter...The laws are not strict enough when it comes to child abuse or maltreatment...you are more likely to do more time if you abuse an animal than you are a child...THe system needs to improve...these parents should not be given any mercy as they did not give this little innocent baby any...May little Abigail rest comfortably while these idiots rest in a jail cell for a very long time
Dec. 15, 2011 at 9:13 a.m.
I agree with sterilization for parents who make such terrible decisions.
Dec. 15, 2011 at 12:31 p.m.
Well said, Syscom3. The baby's father is a piece of garbage, as far as I am concerned, for allowing this to happen. He should have been a man, and protected his little girl from her disgusting mother. May little Abigail rest in peace.
Dec. 16, 2011 at 12:54 p.m.
Well dad was working during the incident arrived home late after she had been put to bed, mom is not mentally all there she's in her own imaginary world, yes sterilization should be required not an option.
Need mentors to monitor kids previously in the system. This is sad and difficult for everyone. Kids were all together during incident trauma has been set in their fragile brains
Dec. 22, 2011 at 12:41 a.m.
First thing id like to say is you people are quick to talk smack but dont know anything close to the truth.... I am the uncle of Abigail and brother of Michael, I can tell you that my brother was at work when all this happened and when he found out he went crazy. I'm not defending him because he is related to me, I am defending him because he took care of his kids and even her oldest that wasn't his.... I witnessed how she was and the way he'd back his kids up. I know that the sorry excuse of a woman he decided to be with is at fault and deserves to be where she is at.
June 15, 2012 at 9:45 p.m.
I know her and she did not like the little girl ... Only the boys ... Everybody in the program use to talk about how Miriam was so mean to her ... My son played with her and she was always scared and when Miriam was away she would relax ... May she rest in peace ... She is not afraid anymore cuz she is with the Lord ... R.I.P Mija ... They should beat them like abigail got BEAT EVERY DAY OF THERE WORTHLESS LIFES .....
June 18, 2012 at 9:36 p.m.
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