Girl, 2, Found Buried in Forest; Believed to Be Dead Boy’s Sister

Sheriff’s homicide detectives, searching Thursday in Angeles National Forest, discovered the body of a 2-year-old girl who they believe is the sister of a boy whose body was found nearby as his father was burying it in March, authorities said.

The body was found late Thursday by detectives who were following up leads from the investigation of the 5-year-old boy’s slaying. The girl’s body, which was wrapped in a blanket, was buried in a rugged area near Little Tujunga Road not far from where detectives said they found Marco Barrera burying the boy’s body.

The slain boy’s mother, Petra Barrera, 35, was arrested Thursday night in connection with the girl’s death. She was booked at the Crescenta Valley sheriff’s station. The recovery of the body was postponed until this morning, authorities said.

Marco Barrera, 34, pleaded not guilty two months ago to charges of murder and accessory to murder in connection with the death of his son, who was beaten to death and found buried in a shallow grave.

Marco Barrera is being held on $1 million bail. If convicted of all the charges, he could be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

Ernesto Barrera’s body was found March 1 after sheriff’s deputies stopped to examine what appeared to be an abandoned car on Lopez Canyon Road in Angeles National Forest. Barrera and one of his twin 14-year-old sons emerged from the bushes on the other side of the road as deputies checked the car.

Barrera then led the deputies about 50 yards into the tall brush to a small clearing where an 18-inch-deep grave had been dug.

According to investigators, Ernesto was part of a complex family. His father was a street vendor who had up to 13 children--ranging in age from 3 to 16--with Petra Barrera and her sister Maria Ricardo Esquivel.

Petra Barrera lived with some of the children in a rented room in Arleta. Marco Barrera and Esquivel and most of the children lived about two miles away in a converted garage in Pacoima.

Several of the children were placed in county custody.