California Murder-Suicide: Mother Stabs 18-Month-Old Baby To Death Before Ending Own Life

A mother in California fatally stabbed her 18-month-old daughter with a knife before taking her own life in a murder-suicide incident.

The deceased were identified as 33-year-old Anabel Reyes-Becerra and Arianny Reyes-Arevalo.

The police officers had arrived at an apartment in Morton Circle, Claremont, on Tuesday to conduct a welfare check, and forcefully entered the house when no one answered the door. The responding officers found Reyes-Becerra and her daughter unresponsive. The two were later declared dead at the scene, CBS Local reported.

The police said Reyes-Becerra used a knife to kill herself and her baby. The murder weapon was found on the scene. Investigators also said there were no signs of forced entry and no other suspects.

The motive behind the murder-suicide was unknown, KTLA reported.

The Claremont Police Department’s detective bureau and L.A. County Coroner’s Office arrived at the scene to conduct an investigation into the incident. The victim’s family were notified by the coroner.

Detectives urged anyone with information about the case to contact the Claremont Police Department at 909-399-5420.

Earlier this month in Arkansas, a man fatally shot his wife and her child before turning the gun on himself at their home. The police had responded to Bayou Vista Drive in Marion as part of a welfare check, during which two juveniles told the first responders they heard gunshots coming from inside the house. Upon entering the house, the officers found the bodies of two adults and a child. The adult victims have been identified as Gabriel Brown and Nakina Gilmer-Brown. It was not clear at the time if the man was the child's father.

In another case last month in Ohio, a family of four was found dead inside their home. The bodies of Jeffrey Hull, 50, Heidi Hull, 46, Garrett Hull, 9, and Grant Hull, were found during a welfare check. The police said Jeffrey Hull shot his wife and two children before killing himself.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.