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Palmdale man gets 15 to life for death of girlfriend’s baby

by K. Enrique • September 8, 2014

Matthew Worthen pleaded no contest Aug. 20 to beating to death 2-year-old Zanai Noel. He was sentenced September 8 to 15 years to life in state prison.
Matthew Worthen pleaded no contest Aug. 20 to beating to death 2-year-old Zanai Noel. He was sentenced September 8 to 15 years to life in state prison.

PALMDALE – A 24-year-old Palmdale man was sentenced Monday to 15 years to life in state prison for killing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

Zanai Noel passed away on Sept. 22, 2013, after she was left for a short time in the care of her mother’s boyfriend, Matthew Worthen. Worthen was arrested for murder days later after an autopsy revealed Zanai’s cause of death. At a preliminary court hearing this past February, Ayisha Noel testified that she left her daughter alone with Worthen at her Palmdale apartment for less than 15 minutes while she went to the liquor store.

Noel said when she returned from the store Worthen was coming out of her daughter’s room, and minutes later, Zanai was groaning and gasping for air.

The child died from forceful blows to her back and side, which caused multiple internal injuries, including five broken and displaced ribs, a collapsed lung, a shredded liver and internal bleeding, according to court testimony from County Medical Examiner Dr. Louis Pena.

Worthen had a domestic violence history with Zanai’s mother. He was arrested for allegedly choking the child’s mother about two months prior to Zanai’s death.

Still, Worthen maintained his innocence for nearly a year before pleading no contest to killing Zanai. Just days before Worthen entered the plea, his attorney Dakar Diourbel said he would be calling three defense witnesses during trial who would testify that Zanai’s mother was drinking and acting aggressive on the night of her daughter’s death. At the pretrial hearing, the defense attorney also said that Ayisha Noel had attacked Worthen in the incident that triggered Worthen’s  domestic violence arrest.

Worthen ultimately avoided a jury trial by pleading no contest Aug. 20 to second degree murder in connection with Zanai’s death. He made the plea just before jury selection was set to begin.

In addition to the 15-years-to-life state prison term, Worthen must pay restitution in the following amounts: $11,285 for funeral expenses to the victim compensation and government claims board; $3,722.90 for out of pocket funeral expenses to the victim’s mother; and $8,894.49 for mental health/burial fees to the victim’s great grandfather, according to the District Attorney’s office.

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Previous related stories:

Palmdale man pleads to killing girlfriend’s baby

Man accused of killing girlfriend’s baby to stand trial

Man pleads not guilty to killing girlfriend’s baby

Palmdale toddler beaten to death, mom’s boyfriend charged with murder

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

17 comments for "Palmdale man gets 15 to life for death of girlfriend’s baby"

  1. boywonder says

    September 11, 2014 at 4:46 am

    Try again in 15 years

  2. avresident says

    September 10, 2014 at 5:50 am

    After he serves the 15 years he his eligible to go to the parole board. It will be then that the board will decide if he’s given a parole date. The parole board will most likely deny him the first few times but he will eventually get out.

  3. bird says

    September 9, 2014 at 6:45 pm

    He will be put in ad seg.

  4. Done says

    September 9, 2014 at 4:58 pm

    This man doesn’t deserve 15 years or life, he deserves to be shot and serve as lunch for the ravens. He’s a monster and you people defending him are appalling individuals.

  5. ray says

    September 9, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    15 with a L mean he do 15years go to court and go back to jail to do life basically.anything with a L means you will never get out

  6. ashley says

    September 9, 2014 at 7:38 am

    He’s innocent I’m a friend of the family and I know in my heart that zanai’s mother did this to her #freematthew #juticeforzanai #lockhermomup

    • RICHARD says

      September 9, 2014 at 8:20 am

      I LOVE YOU MATT. I KNOW THIS IS NOT IN YOUR CHARACTER….

    • insidescoop says

      September 9, 2014 at 2:25 pm

      U know in ur heart ? The facts r not emotional but logical …this young man had been abusing this baby for years but no one could get any real facts at the time til he killed. The poor baby -thats what should b in ur heart .

    • Jamie says

      September 9, 2014 at 5:51 pm

      Oh & I suppose his history of domestic abuse isn’t in his character either? Don’t get me wrong, I think the mother should face a penalty as well for allowing a man who was clearly a danger to be around her daughter. Dead beat, sorry excuse for a mother is putting it mildly. But this man is the epitome of evil & deserves a lot worse than he got, whether you want to believe it in your jaded mind or not. #denial

  7. Jeremy says

    September 9, 2014 at 6:55 am

    Stupid government Hess doing 15 to life how’s he gonna pay for anything

    • Lea says

      September 9, 2014 at 1:03 pm

      For every day in jail he serves money is made and that money goes to the person/people owed

  8. smh says

    September 8, 2014 at 11:50 pm

    It’s horrible that this man only gets 15 years to life for killing this baby and this poor baby was killed at the age of two. He’ll come out and still get to live his life. But this poor baby never got the chance to even go to school. There is nothing that baby could have done to deserve for him to lay a hand on her!! May this angel r.i.p. and god Bless the baby’s family.

    • slink says

      September 9, 2014 at 9:42 am

      No he will not! life means life in california. he has to serve 15 years before he is considered for release, once the 15 is served he starts his life sentence.

      • KayDee says

        September 9, 2014 at 9:57 am

        No offense, but your comment is kind of confusing. On one hand you say he will be considered for release after serving 15 years. So this means he may quite possibly only serve 15 years for killing the baby right? But then you say after the 15 he starts a life sentence. Wouldn’t that be 15 with life instead of 15 to life? It seems to me like this man could get out after 15 years, but I’m no lawyer. Can someone give a better explanation?

        • Ashlie says

          September 9, 2014 at 1:20 pm

          That means he was charged with more than 2nd degree murder. His other charges is what gave him the 15 years whether it was priors or whatever! That’s where the 15 to life mean. He got 15 for the other charges and life for the murder. He will never be eligible to get out. After his 15 years he did his time for those charges and then he begin his life sentence. Some guys get 1 year to life. Cuz they coulda did a crime worth a year but that same crime coulda gave them they 3rd strike. & That’s when it’s called 1 year to life. I hope this better explains it.

          • insidescoop says

            September 9, 2014 at 2:31 pm

            That is not correct, it means he gets an opportunity to get out in 15 years once he meets with board…

          • RRR says

            September 9, 2014 at 7:21 pm

            That’s such a confusing explanation and completely wrong. Try again.

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