During heavy rains last month, floodwaters swept away a car that carried 2-year-old Xavier Padilla Aguilera and his father, separating the two during a torrential downfall that filled the streets of Barstow with mud and rain.
The boy’s body was found hours later in the San Bernardino County flood control channel. The Barstow Police Department offered condolences to his family in a statement confirming the child’s death, calling it a “tragedy.”
But on Tuesday, police announced they had arrested the young boy’s father, Brandon Padilla-Aguilera, in connection with his death.
Barstow police officials revealed few details of their case or what led detectives to suspect foul play in the 2-year-old’s death. But, according to a statement, investigators with the Barstow Police Department continued to look into Xavier’s death after the flooding receded.
“Over the course of the month-long investigation, detectives spoke with witnesses and gathered evidence,” according to a statement from police. “Based on evidence obtained, detectives secured an arrest warrant for him.”
Barstow police booked Padilla-Aguilera on suspicion of murder last week.
On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office filed two charges against the 26-year-old father, including one count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and a second count of child abuse under circumstances of a condition likely to cause great bodily injury, a spokesperson said.
Prosecutors are also alleging a special allegation of willful harm or injury resulting in death.
During the Sept. 18 storm, emergency crews were called at about 7:14 p.m. to investigate a vehicle that had been swept away by floodwaters in the 24000 block of West Main Street in Barstow.
The vehicle, officials said, had been overtaken by rising waters and carried into a wash north of West Main Street.
Padilla-Aguilera and his son had reportedly gotten out of the car but, at some point, were separated.
Padilla-Aguilera was ultimately found on an island created by the floodwaters, but emergency crews continued to search for more than 20 hours for the 2-year-old boy.
On Friday, Padilla-Aguilera was taken into custody. Officials released no details about the role he might have played in the child’s death.
Barstow police referred questions about the case to a Facebook post on the arrest.
County jail records indicate Padilla-Aguilera was booked on suspicion of murder with $1-million bail.
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