Suspect Silent on Wife’s Abuse Claims

An Oxnard man facing a murder trial along with his wife in the death of their 2-year-old daughter will not respond to published reports that his wife is now willing to testify that he regularly beat the toddler, his attorney said Sunday.

Doug Daily, attorney for Rogelio Hernandez, 19, said he will not allow his client to discuss the case with reporters.

In a jailhouse interview Saturday, Gabriela Hernandez, also 19, told The Times that her husband regularly abused her and their daughter, Joselin. She said she tried to stop her husband from hitting the girl but this only made him more upset and he took it out on the baby.

Joselin died in June 1996. The medical examiner says her death was caused by a ripped intestine suffered when she was struck in the abdomen with a blunt object.

Gabriela Hernandez is being held at the Ventura County Honor Farm. Rogelio Hernandez remains at Ventura County Jail. Both have been ordered to stand trial on murder and felony abuse charges, as well as separate counts of child abuse stemming from a 1994 beating of their daughter.

Daily declined comment on Gabriela Hernandez’s statements to The Times.