California father arrested on suspicion of killing 4 children, grandmother
Germarcus David turned himself in to the Lancaster sheriff’s station within minutes of the children's mother discovering the bodies Sunday.
A father has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his four children and their grandmother in a gruesome crime in Lancaster, a town in the high desert Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Germarcus David is being held by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in lieu of $2 million bail. He has been charged with five counts of murder and three counts of assault on a child causing death.
David, 29, turned himself in to deputies at the Lancaster sheriff’s station within just minutes of the children’s mother returning home and discovering the bodies Sunday night, Lt. Brandon Dean told Associated Press.
Officers responded to emergency calls from the house and found the five victims with gunshot wounds to their upper bodies. All of them were pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.
The children have been identified by L.A. County prosecutors as Namyiah David, 11; Germarcus David Jr., 7; Kayden David, 2; and year-old Noah David, as well as their 51-year-old grandmother, Ericka England, who reportedly did not live in the home, but had been babysitting.
According to the report, the home is listed in the name of David and Tyanna Brown, whose direct relation to the family has not been clarified.
Waki Jones, a man identified as a daycare provider who would often transport the children, told The L.A. Times that he learned about the youngsters’ deaths when he arrived to pick them up Monday morning.
“Someone told me or I asked which house where the shooting was, and then I don’t remember anything after that,” Jones said, when reached by phone. “They were just good kids.”
“To do this to the kids,” he added, “it’s cowardly. It’s just unbelievable.”
ABC News reports David was a licensed security guard who had a gun permit, but it had been listed as “cancelled” after expiring in August. He had previously been a state corrections officer.
The outlet is reporting that a Facebook page appearing to belong to the accused killer featured several cryptic messages about spirituality.
“The devil wouldn’t be attacking you so hard if there wasn’t something valuable inside of you. Thieves don’t break into empty houses,” a post on Nov. 14 read.
“Just know that God loves you when you feel unloved for,” he allegedly wrote on Nov. 16.
KTLA is reporting that David allegedly used both a handgun and shotgun in the crimes. He is expected to appear in court again today.
“No family should endure this type of tragedy, especially when the alleged perpetrator was responsible for their protection,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a news release Tuesday announcing the charges against David. “Our office has reached out to the family to ensure they have all the services and support they need during this difficult time.”
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