Father carrying 4 children in California, grandmother was murdered
The Los Angeles County Sheriff said four children, including an infant and their grandmother, were shot dead in a Southern California home and the children’s father was arrested on suspicion of killing them. the city of Lancaster in the Antelope Valley in the high desert north of Los Angeles. Lieutenant Brandon Dean told the Associated Press in a phone interview. Three houses away, Grace Beltran and her son Gerard were awakened by the flashing lights of first responders. Grace Beltran said a woman was running back and forth in their front yard, shouting: “My children are dead! They are all dead!” Within minutes of the mother’s arrival, Dean said, the child’s father, Germarcus David, 29, turned himself in to deputies at the Lancaster sheriff’s station. It was not immediately known if David had an attorney who could speak for him. He is scheduled to make his debut at Antelope Valley Court on Tuesday. The grandmother, a girl and three boys suffered gunshot wounds to the upper body and paramedics declared all victims dead at the scene. Authorities did not identify him but Waki Jones, who worked with the family through daycare service Lancaster, told the Los Angeles Times that the two oldest children are Amaya, 12, and Demarcus, 9. “Amaya is a sweet girl, and every morning, the mother would say to her, “Good morning coach,” Jones said, meaning herself. “She always protects her little brother, make sure he’s safe at school.” To do this to the kids, it’s cowardly, Dean told the Times, the other victims were an infant, a child under 12 and a grandmother of approx. 50 years old. According to a profile from California, he said he was not aware of any previous reports of domestic violence at home.David’s Facebook page features pictures of the cross and his posts from late October and early this month talks about spiritual and ethical perspectives. “Just know that God loves when you feel unloved,” David said in a November 16 post. t crotch 11:” The devil will not attack you violently if there is not something of value within you. Thieves don’t break into empty houses. ” The gray one-story house was on the corner. Neighbors watched the coroner load the bodies of the victims into the lorry. Grace Beltran said: “They were biking around the neighborhood with a dog. The kids were there. would say hello but not talk to neighbors. Sometimes a woman – possibly their mother – goes for a stroll in a stroller. More than 12 hours later, Grace Beltran says she’s still in shock. something like that happened here,” she said. “It’s really traumatic.” Gerard Beltran said he had only seen David once as he walked up to Donnel Murray’s car, who lives a s said occasionally. he saw his grandmother outside as he drove his ATV in the neighborhood He never saw her grandchildren Murry said the woman would wave to him, recently asked him about his ATV and mentioned a grandson. James Martin, 32, who lives nearby, said his death broke his heart. “I know things were going to be tough but it never was. it’s worth taking now take anyone’s life.” ___ Los Angeles-based Associated Press journalist John Antczak and researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report.
Four children, including an infant, and their grandmother were fatally shot in a Southern California home and the child’s father was arrested on suspicion of killing them, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
The victims were found Sunday night at a home in Lancaster City in the Antelope Valley in the high desert north of Los Angeles.
Lieutenant Brandon Dean told the Associated Press in a phone interview.
Three houses away, Grace Beltran and her son Gerard were awakened by the flashing lights of first responders. Grace Beltran said one woman was running back and forth in their front yard, shouting: “My children are dead! They are all dead!”
Within minutes of the mother’s arrival home, the child’s father, Germarcus David, 29, had personally reached out to deputies at the Lancaster sheriff’s station, Dean said.
David was arrested after being interviewed by investigators and was held on $2 million bail.
It was not immediately known if David had an attorney who could speak for him. He is scheduled to make his debut at Antelope Valley Court on Tuesday.
The grandmother, a girl and three boys suffered gunshot wounds to the upper body and paramedics declared all victims dead at the scene. Authorities did not identify them but Waki Jones, who worked with the family through daycare service Lancaster, told the Los Angeles Times that the two oldest children are Amaya, 12, and Demarcus, 9.
“Amaya is a sweet girl, and every morning, mom would say to her, ‘Good morning coach,’” Jones said, meaning himself. told him he was safe at school.”
To do this to children is cowardly. It’s just unbelievable,” he told the Times.
The other victims were an infant, a child under the age of 12 and the grandmother, about 50 years old, authorities said.
Dean said, the grandmother does not live with the family but takes care of the children. He said he was not aware of any previous reports of domestic violence at home.
David was a licensed security guard and had a gun license but it expired in August 2020 and was listed as “cancelled,” according to records from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. California, the regulator of the private security industry.
What appears to be David’s Facebook page includes a photo of a crucifix and his posts from late October and early this month talk about spiritual and ethical perspectives.
“Just know that God loves you when you feel unloved,” David said in a November 16 post.
He posted on November 14: “The devil won’t attack you too hard without something of value inside of you. Thieves don’t break into empty houses.”
The murders happened in a neighborhood of neat, modern houses, some decorated for Christmas. Crime scene tape blocked the entrance to the street where the victims were shot.
Investigators on Monday entered the gray one-story home on the corner. Neighbors witnessed forensic workers loading the victims’ bodies into trucks.
Beltrans said they will be going outside in the afternoons in the summer to water the plants and will see kids cycling around the neighborhood with a dog. The kids would say hello but not talk to the neighbors. Sometimes a woman – possibly their mother – goes for a stroll in a stroller.
“They seem like a happy family,” says Grace Beltran.
More than 12 hours later, Grace Beltran said she was still in shock.
“Nothing like that happens here,” she said. “It really hurts.”
Gerard Beltran said he had only seen David once as he walked to his car.
Donnel Murray, who lives one street away, said he sometimes sees his grandmother outside as he drives his ATV in the neighborhood. He never saw her grandchildren. Murry said the woman would wave at him, had recently asked him about his ATV and had mentioned a grandson.
James Martin, 32, who lives nearby, said the death broke his heart.
“I don’t understand it,” he said. “I know things get tough but it’s never worth taking anyone’s life.”
___
Associated Press writer John Antczak in Los Angeles and researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report.
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