Slaying suspect to fight extradition

A woman told an Orange County judge Monday that she intends to contest extradition to Illinois, where she faces a murder indictment in the 1976 death of her 1-year-old daughter.

Superior Court Judge Michael Brenner scheduled a hearing today for Victoria Neal in Central Orange County Municipal Court to determine whether the Irvine woman should be extradited to Tazewell County, Ill.

She was arrested Thursday evening because a social worker who had been mediating a dispute between Neal and her 14-year-old daughter told police that Neal had admitted shaking her adopted child to death 17 years ago.

Neal had told authorities at the time that the child, Danielle, had fallen and hit her head.

A grand jury has indicted her on one count each of murder and involuntary manslaughter.