OTHER RECENT CASES

Recent cases involving children who died in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties: Ping Du: The 36-year-old Daly City mother pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to five years probation after her 6-month-old drowned in the bath on April 3, 2001. Brian Gilbert: The 24-year-old San Martin father was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 500 hours of community service after leaving his 5-month- old, Kyle, in the back seat of a car on July 24, 2001, while he watched Japanese anime ´ cartoons at his brother- in- law’s house in San Jose. Mariela Aguirre: The 24-year-old San Jose mother pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter, two counts of child endangerment, possession of methamphetamine and being under the influence of methamphetamine after her 2-month- old, Felipe, was smothered to death on Nov. 14, 2001 while he slept in a bed with her. She was sentenced to four years in state prison. Lonnie Sopko: The 61-year-old South San Francisco grandfather pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter after he left his 5-month-old granddaughter, Kiana Sopko, in a sport utility vehicle for several hours on June 5, 2002. Sopko was sentenced to 750 hours of public service and was required to share his experience at parenting classes. Jiovanna Sanchez: The 21-year-old from San Jose fell asleep with her baby after drinking alcohol. Nine-month-old Leydi was found dead, wedged between the bed and the headboard on July 28, 2002. Sanchez was deported before she could be sentenced. Antonia Toscano: The 34-year-old San Jose mother pleaded no contest to child endangerment and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 8. Her 16-month-old son, Luis Franco, drowned in a bath tub on May 14. He died after being kept alive in the hospital for almost two weeks.