Angel Montiel, 2

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Angel Montiel, a 2-year-old Latino boy, died from ‘aspiration pneumonia’ -- where foreign material enters the lungs -- in San Pedro on April 21. But coroner’s officials found fresh and old wounds during the boy’s autopsy and determined that physical abuse and neglect contributed to Angel’s death.

A relative brought Angel to Little Company of Mary-San Pedro Hospital about 2:30 a.m. The little boy was not breathing and was pronounced dead 10 minutes later. Los Angeles County Coroner’s Capt. Ed Winter said the boy had fresh and old bruises all over his body, including dark bruises on the right-side and center of his forehead. The child also had severe redness on the bottom of his feet and he appeared thin.

His family told authorities the injuries were inflicted when they tried to revive him, Winter said. But police said they suspect Angel was the victim of ongoing abuse. Los Angeles police Det. Cathy Luke said investigators immediately noticed the boy’s injuries but did not have enough evidence at first to make an arrest.

‘We had to wait for the medical evidence,’ Luke said. On Nov. 1, LAPD officers arrested Angel’s mother, Andrea Montiel, 25, on suspicion of murder and child abuse. Montiel has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, assault on a child causing death, and child abuse. She remains in Los Angeles County jail awaiting trial.--Jack Leonard/LAT