Father held on suspicion of murder after missing baby is found dead

The father of a missing 3-week-old baby was arrested on suspicion of murder Saturday after leading investigators to her body in a parking lot in Santa Clarita, authorities said.

Matthew Warner, 30, of Newhall was arrested shortly after 7 a.m. after the infant’s body was found in the front cab of a Nissan pickup truck in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 23600 block of Newhall Avenue, authorities said. The body was found about a half mile from the girl’s parents’ house.

The child’s mother, whose name was not released, is being detained for questioning but has not been arrested.

“The mom is distraught and she’s acting as a mother would act who just lost a baby,” said Lt. Holly Francisco of the Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Division. “This is a tragic situation for everyone involved.”

Authorities said the infant’s grandmother had called the Sheriff’s Department about 7 p.m. Friday to complain about Warner, whom she wanted out of the house. About two hours later, both parents came into the sheriff’s Santa Clarita station to report their child missing from their residence in the 21300 block of Alder Drive.

A search of the home and surrounding areas was unsuccessful. The Santa Clarita Valley Search and Rescue Team was activated, as well as airborne, K-9 and detective units, to help with the continued search for the missing baby.

esmeralda.bermudez@latimes.com