Murrieta Mom Accused of Starving Twin Toddlers Charged With Child Abuse

A Murrieta woman accused of starving and inflicting injuries on her 3-year-old twin boys was charged Tuesday with two felony counts of child abuse.

Courtney Lynn Stewart, 24, was arrested last week following a nearly monthlong investigation by Murrieta police.

Along with the child abuse charges, Stewart is facing sentence-enhancing allegations of inflicting great bodily injury during an act of domestic violence and inflicting great bodily injury in the commission of a felony.

After taking Stewart’s not guilty plea Tuesday afternoon, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Judith Clark scheduled a bail review hearing for Thursday, at the request of defense attorney Emily Crowley.

Stewart remains in custody at the Southwest Detention Center in lieu of $170,000 bail.

According to Murrieta police, the defendant became the focus of an investigation on Nov. 7 after she took one of her sons to Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta. Hospital staff were alarmed by the child’s emaciated condition and several bruises uncovered during an examination, said Sgt. Phil Gomez.

He said the boy weighed less than 15 pounds and was determined to be suffering from malnutrition.

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

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 boy and transported him for medical treatment.

The boy has since been handed over to family to look after him, police told Patch.

Stewart was located Wednesday morning at a Lake Elsinore address, where she was arrested without incident. She has no prior convictions in Riverside County.

– City News Service contributed to this report.