A father in Los Angeles has been taken into custody in the connection to the deaths of his two children, who were found with lacerations on their bodies inside their home on Saturday.
In an updated news release, homicide detectives stated there was sufficient evidence to arrest Prospero Serna for the crimes of murder and child abuse. Despite sufficient evidence, Serna refused to cooperate with authorities, resulting in a delay in his booking process.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, officers responded to a home in Lancaster, California after a call concerning alleged child abuse was reported. Upon arrival, deputies discovered four children under the age of 10 with lacerations.
“Two children were suffering from non-life threatening injuries,” LASD Lieutenant Danile Vizcarra said. “Two of the other children were suffering from severe lacerations to their bodies.”
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.
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. “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.”
Serna has a criminal history dating back to 2006.
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, Serna lost custody of four of his children to their mother.
