Palm Desert couple arrested for murder of 8-week-old baby girl

A 19-year-old Palm Desert woman and her 22-year-oldparolee boyfriend are behind bars Thursday, suspected in the killing of thewoman’s 8-week-old baby girl, authorities said.

Sarah Connor and Joseph Champion were arrested Wednesday, the same daythe child succumbed to what investigators say were several traumatic injuriesto her body, said Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Jeff Buompensiero. Both werebooked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio, he said.

The child was not breathing when deputies responded around 6:15 a.m.Friday to a juvenile medical aid call in the 73000 block of Pinyon Street,Buompensiero said.

The baby was first taken to Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirageand later transferred to Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda forfurther treatment, he said.

Connor was being held in lieu of $1 million bail and Champion was jailedwithout bail, according to sheriff’s online booking records. Both were due incourt in Indio on Friday.