According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Seal Beach Police Department, Linda Wilborn, 31, of Seal Beach, was arrested yesterday and is charged with the murder of her 22 month old daughter, Millicent, and with fracturing the skull of Millicent’s twin brother. Wilborn is being held on $1 million bail. She is expected to be arraigned Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.
The DA’s release said Wilborn “is charged with one felony count of assault on a child with force likely to produce great bodily injury resulting in death and three felony counts of child abuse. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison.”
Farrah Emami, spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, told www.OC180NEWS.com, these charges are essentially the same as murder charges. “The maximum on that charge is 25 years to life in state prison, which is the same sentence as a murder charge. This is just more specific to this crime based on the fact that it was a child abuse that resulted in the death.”
If convicted, Wilborn would be in prison for 25 years before she would be eligible for parole consideration. At that time, the parole system would determine if she would be freed, or continue to serve time.
Wilborn was arrested yesterday by the Seal Beach Police Department (SBPD) while she was at the Orange County Social Services Agency visiting her children, who were placed in protective custody in December. Wilborn is being held on $1 million bail.
According to the DA’s release, “Wilborn has four young children, including 22-month-old twins Millicent and John Doe. Between Oct. 17, 2009, and Dec. 17, 2009, the defendant is accused of physically abusing the twins. On Dec. 17, 2009, Wilborn is accused of being home with her four children while her husband was at work. The defendant is accused of inflicting tremendous blunt force on Millicent. At approximately 4:00 p.m., Wilborn is accused of calling 9-1-1 to report that the victim was unresponsive.
Millicent was transported to the hospital, but later died due to a ruptured heart despite the life-saving efforts of medical staff. Further examination of the victim revealed that she had fresh and old fractures to her ribs. An examination of her twin, John Doe, revealed that he had a fractured skull. The defendant is accused of causing the great bodily injuries that resulted in the death of Millicent, as well as the injuries to John Doe. The other two children {ages 8 months and 3 years} did not have any physical signs of trauma.”
Emami told www.OC180NEWS.com “The extent of the injuries, the gravity of the injuries, led the medical professionals to determine that the injuries had to have been caused by an adult. This is not something the child could have done to themselves.” The medical review indicated Millicent had sustained rib fractures between October 17 and December 17, but according to Emami, “it was unreported and it was discovered in December” after the child died.
“The defendant did not take her children in for treatment for these rib fractures. There were no medical professionals or law enforcement officials who were aware that these children were being abused until December of 2009.”
We asked Emami to explain the basis for determining that Wilborn was the perpetrator. Emami said “It was in the course of the investigation by the Seal Beach Police Department.” She was not able to elaborate further.
