Mother Killed 6-Month-Old Daughter, Threw Toddler Son, Herself Off Balcony, Both Survived

A California mother was charged Thursday for allegedly killing her baby girl and tossing her son from a second-floor apartment, prosecutors said. Tierra Ortega also sustained facial injuries when she jumped from the balcony.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said the woman was charged with child abuse causing death and attempted murder. Neighbors said they witnessed Ortega, 24, dropping her 1-year-old son, Jericho, over the railing at the building in Upland. The boy, who suffered a broken foot, is currently recovering at a hospital.

When authorities arrived at the scene, the mom allegedly jumped headfirst over the railing after her son, news station KTLA reported. While conducting a search of the apartment, emergency responders found her 6-month-old daughter unresponsive.

The daughter, Ezlynn, was transported with head trauma to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The infant suffered a skull fracture and other internal injuries, according to Upland police Capt. Marcelo Blanco.

"That’s the worst type of situation that we can encounter, when you have a child in that state," Blanco said, according to local media, adding the cause of death was yet to be known.

Police said Ortega was treated for facial injuries at a local hospital before being arrested and taken to jail. Her arraignment was scheduled for Friday morning in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court.

Blanco told KTLA that the children's father was at work at the time of the incident.

“The father was in as much awe as anybody else that was there, and shocked to even believe that something like this could have happened,” Blanco said.

Upland police launched a fundraiser on Facebook to collect money for the girl’s funeral services.

“The dad works for waste management in the area, and unfortunately right now he is not at work; he is at the hospital by his son’s side, which is where he needs to be," Blanco added. "He has to worry now about burying his daughter.”

Neighbors told KTLA that they had never witnessed any issues at the family's apartment.

"I feel very sad, you know, for the baby, the girl," neighbor Alma Furlong said. "Six months only. And the son. I don't know what happened to her really, because she looked like a very nice girl."

A motive was immediately determined.