Throughout heavy rains final month, floodwaters swept away a automobile that carried 2-year-old Xavier Padilla Aguilera and his father, separating the 2 throughout a torrential downfall that crammed the streets of Barstow with mud and rain.
The boy’s physique was discovered hours later within the San Bernardino County flood management channel. The Barstow Police Division supplied condolences to his household in a assertion confirming the kid’s loss of life, calling it a “tragedy.”
However on Tuesday, police introduced they’d arrested the younger boy’s father, Brandon Padilla-Aguilera, on suspicion of homicide.
Barstow police officers revealed few particulars of their case or what led detectives to suspect foul play within the 2-year-old’s loss of life. However, in response to an announcement, investigators with the Barstow Police Division continued to look into Xavier’s loss of life after the flooding receded.
“Over the course of the month-long investigation, detectives spoke with witnesses and gathered proof,” in response to a assertion from police. “Primarily based on proof obtained, detectives secured an arrest warrant for him.”
Through the Sept. 18 storm, emergency crews have been known as at about 7:14 p.m. to analyze a automobile that had been swept away by floodwaters within the 24000 block of West Essential Road in Barstow.
The automobile, officers stated, had been overtaken by rising waters and carried right into a wash north of West Essential Road.
Padilla-Aguilera and his son had reportedly gotten out of the automobile however, in some unspecified time in the future, have been separated.
Padilla-Aguilera was in the end discovered on an island created by the floodwaters, however emergency crews continued to seek for greater than 20 hours for the 2-year-old boy.
On Friday, Padilla-Aguilera was taken into custody. Officers launched no particulars concerning the position he may need performed within the baby’s loss of life.
Barstow police referred questions concerning the case to a Fb publish on the arrest.
County jail information point out Padilla-Aguilera was booked on suspicion of homicide with $1-million bail.
