Woman Kills Daughter, Self Over Custody Fears
A woman who feared that her estranged husband would gain custody of their 3-year-old daughter shot and killed the girl and then herself Wednesday as they rode in a friend’s camper in Panorama City, Los Angeles police said.
Josephina Rios, 29, died about 10:15 p.m., four hours after she fired a single round into the head of her daughter, Samantha, and then shot herself in the head, Sgt. Joe Braza said.
Investigators found a note apparently written by Rios saying she was despondent over the prospect of her husband gaining custody of Samantha.
Detective Mike Houchen said Rios feared that her husband, Antonio Rios, would disappear with the child.
The couple, who lived in Anaheim, had been separated for about a year and were divorcing.
“The mother left a suicide note indicating this was best for the child and herself,” Houchen said.
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