Daughter Charged With Killing Mom In Lake Forest Has Lengthy Criminal History

LAKE FOREST, CA — A 32-year-old Lake Forest woman accused of stabbing her mother to death in her home has a criminal history dating back to 2015, and the victim sought a restraining order against her daughter that same year, according to court records obtained Tuesday.

Courtney Elizabeth Baker was in custody Thursday on $1 million bail. Prosecutors have a deadline of Friday to charge her or she will be released.

The victim's husband called Orange County sheriff's deputies to a home in the 22000 block of Bellcroft Drive at about 1:50 a.m. Wednesday for "unknown trouble," Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

The victim, whose name was not released by authorities, was in her 70s and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a previous Patch report. Authorities said she was found with "multiple stab wounds."

The victim was later identified as Elizabeth Mary O'Leary, according to the restraining order sought Sept. 14, 2015.

The restraining order request was dismissed Oct. 6, 2015, after no one made the court appearance to be heard on it, court records said.

O'Leary accused her daughter of beating her.

"I am older and have some health issues that occasionally benefit from the care of others," she wrote in the restraining order request. "When here with Courtney alone she has often beaten me, kicked me, made numerous threats to myself, my pet and other family members.

"I have been punched, kicked and threatened by Courtney numerous times. I am only attacked by Courtney when no one else is here to protect me and I am defenseless. Courtney has threatened me saying that she wants me and my dog to die."

Baker pled guilty in July 2018 to resisting arrest, violating a protective-stay away order and possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors. In April 2018 she pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, violating a protective/stay away order and destroying evidence, all misdemeanors.

Baker pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace in April 2017 in a plea deal that saw misdemeanor counts of assault and battery dismissed along with a count of injury to telephone lines, according to court records. In September 2015, she pleaded guilty to unlawful entry of a noncommercial dwelling and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors.

City News Service contributed to this report.