LANCASTER – Authorities have identified the 3-year-old boy whose neck was slashed in Lancaster last week, and the investigation is continuing into his death.
Deputies responded just before 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, to the 43400 block of 57th Street West, south of Avenue K, on a medical rescue call, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. When they arrived, deputies found a victim described only as a “male juvenile” suffering from a “laceration to the neck.”
David Jacques Hernandez of Lancaster died at a hospital, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner reported. Sheriff’s officials are investigating the death as a homicide. The Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed sources, said the boy was found in a bathtub with his throat cut. The body was found by a family friend who went to the home at the behest of one of the boy’s relatives, The LA Times reported.
According to the sheriff’s department, deputies who responded to the home also found Rena Naulls, 39, at the home suffering from a “medical emergency.” Naulls, the live-in boyfriend of the child’s mother, tried “to take his own life” at the home, sheriff’s officials said. Naulls was taken to a hospital, where he is considered to be in stable condition, according to the sheriff’s department.
“Mr. Naulls has been identified as a person of interest in this matter,” sheriff’s officials said in a statement. They stressed that no arrests have been made.
According to the sheriff’s department, there where three other children in home. All were unharmed and were placed in the custody of the county Department of Children and Family Services. The LA Times reported those children are ages 9, 11 and 14.
Anyone with information on the case is urged to call the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. Tipsters may also use the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
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Lucy says
He looks like a drug baby,
Poor kid never had a fighting chance .
Angry Bird says
Drugs. It don’t happen too often, but sometimes people who overdose don’t die, instead they become someone else and do things they would never normally do. They lose all control over their own actions, even if only for a few minutes.
Dr. Woo says
Slicing up kids is an old Lancaster tradition.
Esther says
My question is…what was the mom doing, where was she while her baby boy was being slashed…women need to stop choosing boyfriend over your own children!
Barbara King says
I don’t know what’s going on in this area. Horrible horrible evilness. The boyfriend shows the smallest most innocent one of the children. We all know that.
Please God…… help us all.
Investigation says
The boyfriend again…