​2 Children Dead, 2 Injured In Lancaster​; Father Detained

LANCASTER, CA — A father has been detained after deputies responding to a child abuse call in Lancaster discovered two of his children fatally wounded and two others with injuries that required hospitalization, authorities said Sunday.

Deputies were dispatched at about 11:50 p.m. Saturday to a home in the 1800 block of East Avenue J-2 and found four children under the age of 10 suffering from lacerations to their bodies, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported.

Paramedics rushed the children to a hospital where two were pronounced dead and the other two were listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect was identified as Prospero Serna of San Bernardino County, though no specific place of residence was given. Sheriff's officials said he was the biological father of all the victims, and described him as a "person of interest who is currently detained."

"Homicide investigators responded to the scene and assumed control of the investigation," according to a sheriff's department statement. "The investigation is ongoing and there is no additional information available at this time."

Anyone with information regarding the family was asked to call the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tipsters may also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS, or use the website lacrimestoppers.org.

— City News Service