Police Seek Donations to Aid Orphaned Children

In the wake of a domestic shooting that left two small children orphaned in San Fernando, the relatives who took them in are seeking clothing, beds and toys for the boy, 6, and the girl, 4.

The children, Manuel and Guadalupe Sida, were living with their mother in a converted garage on Kewen Street when their father arrived on the morning of Nov. 1. The couple had been separated for about six months, police said.

After a brief argument, Manuel Sida, 28, shot and killed Irma Melendez, 22, and then shot himself to death as the children played outside.

The children are now living with their aunt and uncle, a young couple with a limited income and two small children of their own, police said. The aunt is pregnant and one of the orphaned children, Guadalupe, has Down syndrome.

“It’s going to be a real burden on them,” said Sgt. Michael Harvey of the San Fernando Police Department, which is accepting donations of clothing and other items for the Sida children.

The department has set up a trust fund for the children, and the San Fernando Police Officers’ Assn. has contributed $500, Harvey said. Donations can be dropped off at the police station, 910 1st St., San Fernando.

To contribute money, send a check payable to: “Sida Children Trust Fund”, San Fernando Police Department, 910 1st St., San Fernando, CA 91340. For more information, call the department at (818) 898-1267.