Three generations of a Modesto, California, family were stabbed to death inside their home, while a 3-year-old toddler was found unharmed in the residence, authorities said.
Modesto police said officers were called to a home on Thursday, May 28, after a relative requested a welfare check when they could not reach family members. Inside, officers discovered the bodies of a 54-year-old grandmother, her 23-year-old daughter, and a 2-week-old baby boy, all suffering from stab wounds.
A 3-year-old child was found alive and uninjured in the home and was immediately taken to a hospital for evaluation, according to People.
The victims were identified by the Stanislaus County Coroner's Office as Maria Sylvia Nunez-Villalobos, 54, her daughter Fabiola Gonzalez-Nunez, 23, and newborn Mateo Gonzalez, who was about 2 weeks old.
Police said all three were pronounced dead at the scene and that preliminary evidence indicates they died from multiple stab wounds. Authorities said the three victims represented three generations of the same family living together in the Modesto home.
Investigators quickly identified 28-year-old Joaquin Escoto as the suspect and said he had a prior relationship with Gonzalez-Nunez. Escoto was later found hiding in a residence not far from the crime scene and was taken into custody without incident, according to Modesto police.
Prosecutors have charged him with multiple counts of murder, including special circumstances because of the multiple victims and the age of the infant, court records show, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Police said the 3-year-old child found unharmed in the home is believed to be the son of Gonzalez-Nunez and Escoto.
The toddler was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services after being evaluated at a hospital, and authorities said they are working with social workers to arrange long-term care. Officials have not released the child's name and asked the public to respect the privacy of surviving family members.
Detectives said there is no indication of additional suspects and that the attacks appear to be a domestic violence incident contained within the family. Crime scene technicians are processing the home, and investigators are reviewing prior contacts between Escoto and the victims as they work to establish a motive.
Police have asked anyone with information about the family's recent activities or Escoto's movements before the killings to contact Modesto detectives, as per the San Francisco Gate.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
