Overview

• Philip Michael Ortega now faces two murder counts for allegedly supplying the fentanyl that killed Baby Phoenix in May 2023 and Baby Winter in August 2023.
• Prosecutors upgraded David Anthony Castro’s charge from felony child endangerment to murder after finding he obtained drugs from Ortega and then delayed calling for help while seeking synthetic urine.
• Autopsy reports from the Santa Clara County medical examiner confirmed both infants died from a lethal combination of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
• Investigators uncovered social media messages warning Ortega he was a “baby killer” and noted several shifts in his account of events when Baby Winter died.
• Both Ortega and Castro pleaded not guilty at their arraignment and are scheduled for preliminary hearings on July 28.