Fatal Stabbing Believed to Be Gang Initiation
A 13-year-old boy allegedly fatally stabbed a 46-year-old woman as part of a gang initiation, according to Bakersfield police reports.
The boy was charged with murder and robbery on Tuesday in connection with the death of Yolanda Ann Espinoza, who was found in her apartment with a plastic bag and stab wounds on her upper body and face June 15.
The charges normally could lead to the death penalty or life in prison without parole. The boy is too young to be tried as an adult, however, and will probably face a maximum term of confinement until his 25th birthday if convicted, Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert A. Barton said.
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