The expectant parents had already created a birth registry at several retailers for the baby expected to be born July 18.
The girl was born about a week early and in circumstances that were anything but joyful: a Philadelphia prison.
She was the daughter of Isabeth Cruz, who was being held without bail in the Riverside Correctional Facility for women, charged with murder in the April 27 death of her son Christian Torruellas, 3.
Defense attorney Walter C. Chisholm confirmed the birth Friday, two days after a preliminary hearing in which a Philadelphia Municipal Court judge ordered the 21-year-old Cruz to stand trial for murder, plus charges of aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, and child endangerment.
Spokespersons for the Philadelphia Prison System and the District Attorney's Office said they could not comment.
Chisholm said that after the birth, Cruz was permitted to spend some time with the newborn before the girl was transferred to the city's Department of Human Services for continuing care.
"I just hope people understand that there is more to this case than what was presented in the preliminary hearing," Chisholm added. "I hope people keep an open mind."
At last week's preliminary hearing, a police homicide detective testified that when she was questioned on May 5, Cruz admitted punching her 3-year-old son in the stomach in anger after he defecated in his pants and then messed up the bathroom trying to clean himself.
"I didn't think I hit him hard enough to do that," Cruz said, according Detective Joseph Bamberski.
The incident happened April 27 at her mother's house on Sparks Street in Olney. Christian was taken to an emergency room on April 30 where he was unresponsive and went into cardiac arrest. He died May 3.
The city Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and said the autopsy showed the punch tore the boy's small intestine in three places. The autopsy found no evidence of long-standing child abuse, such as healed broken bones.
At the preliminary hearing, Chisholm argued that the murder charge against Cruz should be dismissed, contending that the punch was an "emotionally driven action," not premeditated or motivated by malice.
Assistant District Attorney Bridget Kirn that toilet accidents should be expected in a 3-year-old and that the extent of Christian's injuries was evidence of premeditation.