Parents charged in abuse, death of 4-month-old girl
A mother and father of a 4-month-old girl who died New Year’s Eve in Downey were charged Monday with child abuse and murder, prosecutors said.
The baby, identified only as Savanah L., died of blunt-force trauma and showed signs of abuse, authorities said.
Her parents, Ashley Debra Jones and Johnathan Lucero, both 23, were being held on $2-million bail. If convicted, they face maximum sentences of life in prison.
A 911 call from a family member tipped police to the situation, a Los Angeles County district attorney’s office spokeswoman said.
Jones and Lucero were arrested New Year’s Day, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records. Their arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 16 in Norwalk.
A Downey Police Department detective who is investigating the case could not be immediately reached for comment.
[For the record, 5:28 p.m., Jan. 6: A previous version of this post cited prosecutors saying Jones and Lucero had plead not guilty. Prosecutors later corrected their statement, saying Jones and Lucero had not yet been arraigned.]
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