Murrieta Mom Accused of Beating, Starving 3-Year-Old Twins

A Murrieta woman was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of child abuse for allegedly starving and beating her 3-year-old twin boys.

Courtney Lynn Stewart, 24, was booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, where she’s being held in lieu of $130,000 bail.

According to Murrieta police, Stewart became the focus of an investigation back on Nov. 7 after she took one of her sons to Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta.

“The hospital staff noted several suspicious bruises on the child as well as a severe case of malnutrition,” said Sgt. Phil Gomez— adding that the 3-year-old weighed less than 15 pounds.

According to Gomez, the youngster was admitted for treatment and later transferred to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego for intensive pediatric care, where he currently remains.

To follow up on Nov. 7, Murrieta police detectives visited Stewart’s residence and found the other twin “suffering from the same malnutrition,” as well as a broken jaw, according to Gomez.

Riverside County Child Protective Services workers took custody of the child and transported him for medical treatment, and he’s been “... in the care and custody of paternal family members” since Nov. 7, Gomez said.

Stewart was located Wednesday morning at a Lake Elsinore address, where she was arrested without incident.

She has no prior convictions in Riverside County.

Anyone with information related to the investigation was asked to call Detective Jeremy Durant at (951) 461-6354.