Dead Child Found in Van Died at Home
A 22-month-old child whose body was found in the back of his father’s minivan this week near the City of Industry had died at his home in Lancaster, sheriff’s deputies said Friday.
The father, Anthony Bill Lopez, 35, is to be arraigned Monday on suspicion of murder in the death of his son, Isaac.
Lopez’s estranged common-law wife, whom investigators would not identify, told detectives Wednesday that Lopez picked up his son early Tuesday for a shopping trip for clothes and never returned.
“Further investigation revealed that the father had taken the body with him in a black duffel bag when he left her house,” Deputy Bill Spears said.
Lopez was arrested Thursday after deputies in Bassett, about 80 miles from Lancaster, spotted his minivan at a park. Law enforcement agencies had been looking for the vehicle since a friend of Lopez told deputies at the City of Industry substation that Lopez had said the child was dead.
Lopez remained calm while deputies asked him questions and did not mention the dead child in the duffel bag in the cargo area, according to officials.
A coroner’s spokesman said Friday that the cause of death might not be determined for eight to 12 weeks while investigators await test results.
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