File # Y222510044

Update:

On September 16, 2022, around 7:00 p.m., a third suspect, identified as Miriam Silva, a 38-year-old resident of Coachella, turned herself in to the Thermal Sheriff’s Station. Silva was arrested for murder and child endangerment and booked at the John Benoit Detention Center. Silva is the aunt of the victim in this case.

The investigation is currently on-going and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone has information regarding this investigation, they are encouraged to call Investigator Lopez of the Thermal Station at 760–863–8990 or Investigator Alfaro of the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3528.

Update:

On September 13, 2022, around 7:00 p.m., the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) and Central Homicide Unit (CHU) served a search warrant in the 51500 block of Date St., Coachella. During the service of the warrant, the mother of the five-year-old victim in this case was arrested. The mother was identified as Vanessa Rangel, a 37-year-old resident of Coachella. A second suspect, identified as Hilaria Rangel, a 55-year-old resident of Coachella, was also arrested at a separate location in Coachella. Hilaria Rangel is the maternal grandmother of the victim. Both suspects were arrested for child abuse resulting in great bodily injury and death and booked at the John Benoit Detention Center.

The investigation is currently on-going and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone has information regarding this investigation, they are encouraged to call Investigator Lopez at the Thermal Station at 760-863-8990 or Investigator Alfaro at the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3528.

Details:

On September 8, 2022, at about 7:53 p.m., deputies assigned to the Thermal Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to a juvenile medical aid at a residence in the 50400 block of S. Kenmore St., Coachella. Upon arrival, family members directed deputies to a child not breathing. Deputies and Cal Fire medics performed life-saving measures, but the child died at the scene. The residence was secured, and the Thermal Station Investigations Bureau began the investigation. Due to the circumstances of the death, the Central Homicide Unit responded and assumed the investigation.

The identity of the deceased child will not be released. The investigation is currently on-going and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone has information regarding this investigation, they are encouraged to call Investigator Lopez at the Thermal Station at 760-863-8990 or Investigator Alfaro with the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3528.

Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.

For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post Child Death Investigation appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

File # Y222510044

Update:

On September 13, 2022, around 7:00 p.m., the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) and Central Homicide Unit (CHU) served a search warrant in the 51500 block of Date St., Coachella. During the service of the warrant, the mother of the five-year-old victim in this case was arrested. The mother was identified as Vanessa Rangel, a 37-year-old resident of Coachella. A second suspect, identified as Hilaria Rangel, a 55-year-old resident of Coachella, was also arrested at a separate location in Coachella. Hilaria Rangel is the maternal grandmother of the victim. Both suspects were arrested for child abuse resulting in great bodily injury and death and booked at the John Benoit Detention Center.

The investigation is currently on-going and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone has information regarding this investigation, they are encouraged to call Investigator Lopez at the Thermal Station at 760-863-8990 or Investigator Alfaro at the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3528.

Details:

On September 8, 2022, at about 7:53 p.m., deputies assigned to the Thermal Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to a juvenile medical aid at a residence in the 50400 block of S. Kenmore St., Coachella. Upon arrival, family members directed deputies to a child not breathing. Deputies and Cal Fire medics performed life-saving measures, but the child died at the scene. The residence was secured, and the Thermal Station Investigations Bureau began the investigation. Due to the circumstances of the death, the Central Homicide Unit responded and assumed the investigation.

The identity of the deceased child will not be released. The investigation is currently on-going and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone has information regarding this investigation, they are encouraged to call Investigator Lopez at the Thermal Station at 760-863-8990 or Investigator Alfaro with the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3528.

Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.

For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post Child Death Investigation appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

File # Y222510044

Details:

On September 8, 2022, at about 7:53 p.m., deputies assigned to the Thermal Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to a juvenile medical aid at a residence in the 50400 block of S. Kenmore St., Coachella. Upon arrival, family members directed deputies to a child not breathing. Deputies and Cal Fire medics performed life-saving measures, but the child died at the scene. The residence was secured, and the Thermal Station Investigations Bureau began the investigation. Due to the circumstances of the death, the Central Homicide Unit responded and assumed the investigation.

The identity of the deceased child will not be released. The investigation is currently on-going and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone has information regarding this investigation, they are encouraged to call Investigator Lopez at the Thermal Station at 760-863-8990 or Investigator Alfaro with the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3528.

Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.

For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post Child Death Investigation appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California mother and her boyfriend have been convicted of murdering a 5-year-old boy after inflicting “extensive abuse” on the child.

The boy’s mother, Jessica Prater, 37, and her boyfriend Adam Caldwell, 45, were found guilty on several counts related to the 2016 death of Prater’s son, Zachary Prater-Stokes, the Sacramento Bee reported Monday.

The mother and child had moved into Caldwell’s home in the Sacramento suburb of Orangevale in April 2016, the district attorney’s office said in a statement.

“Caldwell began to punish and abuse Zachary, both psychologically and physically,” the statement said. “The physical abuse became more frequent and more violent. The abuse was also inflicted by Prater.”

Roughly two months after moving in with her boyfriend, Prater called 911 “to report that Zachary had swallowed water in the bathtub and was not responsive.”

Fire personnel arrived and found Zachary clothed and dry in a bedroom, and transported him to a hospital where he never regained consciousness.

“Medical evidence confirmed extensive abuse,” the statement said. The autopsy showed Zachary’s death was caused by “blunt force injuries and water submersion.”

Both defendants’ cases involved nearly three years of pretrial conferences and hearings, with trial proceedings then interrupted in March 2020 by COVID-19 protocols imposed at Sacramento Superior County Court, court records show.

Prater was convicted Friday of first-degree murder by torture, child assault causing death and child abuse with great bodily injury causing death, the district attorney’s office said.

Caldwell was convicted last month of second-degree murder and child assault causing death.

Each faces 25 years to life in prison. Caldwell is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 19. Prater’s sentencing is set for Dec. 10.

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post California mother, boyfriend guilty of murder in boy’s death appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.