Dad Arrested After 2 Children Dead, 2 Hospitalized in Los Angeles County
Authorities said there was enough evidence to arrest Prospero Serna on charges of murder and child abuse
A father was arrested in connection to the deaths of two of his children who were found with lacerations on their bodies at a residence in Los Angeles County Saturday, according to authorities.
In an updated news release Monday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office said that homicide detectives determined there was sufficient evidence to arrest Prospero Serna "for the crimes of Murder and Child abuse." However, the statement noted that Serna has refused to cooperate with authorities, resulting in a delay in his booking process.
According to the sheriff’s office, authorities responded to a residence in Lancaster, California, following a call concerning alleged child abuse. Upon arrival, deputies discovered four children under the age of 10 with lacerations, per the release.
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"Two children were suffering from non-life threatening injuries," LASD Lieutenant Danile Vizcarra said, per CBS Los Angeles. "Two of the other children were suffering from severe lacerations to their bodies."
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The sheriff’s office added that the children were taken to a hospital where two of them were pronounced deceased and the other two were in stable condition.
Serna, of San Bernardino County, was initially detained as a person of interest, said authorities, adding he is the father of the four victims.
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The sheriff’s office said that the investigation is ongoing.
"Hearing news of a child abuse call involving four young children in Lancaster was heart-breaking,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger in a statement shared with KABC. “It's painful to hear two siblings were murdered and two others were hurt allegedly by their father. The County has made strides in bringing more social workers to serve the Antelope Valley and is investing in child abuse prevention programs that strengthen families. But the reality is that some families slip through the cracks and ultimately, children pay the price. I have a lot of unanswered questions and will continue tracking this case closely.”
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The Los Angeles Times reported, citing court documents, that Serna has a criminal history dating back to 2006. According to the newspaper, Serna was charged in 2014 with battery on a spouse; those charges were later dismissed. He was hit with two temporary restraining orders in 2016 and 2021 concerning another woman, who is the mother of his children, and a man, respectively. The case involving the man was later dismissed.
In 2022, per court documents seen by the Times, Serna lost custody of four of his children to their mother.
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