Authorities have identified the 3-year-old boy who was stabbed in the neck earlier this week in the city of Lancaster, California, as reported by our sister network NBC Los Angeles, and the investigation into his death continues.
Tuesday, officers responded to 43400 West 57th Street, south of Avenue K, in response to a medical rescue call, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
When they arrived, sheriff's deputies found a victim described as a "minor male" suffering from a "neck laceration."
David Jacques Hernandez, of Lancaster, died after being taken to a hospital, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner reported.
Sheriff's officials are investigating the death as a homicide.
The Los Angeles Times, citing anonymous sources, said the boy was found in a bathtub with his throat slit.
The body was found by a family friend who went to the house at the request of one of the boy's relatives, the newspaper reported.
According to the Sheriff's Department, deputies who responded to the home also found Rena Naulls, 39, at the home suffering from a "medical emergency."
Naulls, the boyfriend who lived with the boy's mother, attempted to "take his own life" at the home, sheriff's officials said.
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Naulls was taken to a hospital, where he is considered in stable condition, according to the sheriff's department.
"Mr. Naulls has been identified as a person of interest in this matter
," sheriff's officials said in a statement.
They also stressed that no arrests have been made.
The boy's biological father, Herbett Hernandez, said he is completely devastated by his son's death and can't believe it.
“What did you do for this psychopath, monster, whoever he is, to do that to my baby?” Hernandez said.
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The father had been in an on-and-off relationship with the child's mother for 13 years.
They had been separated for four months.
According to the Sheriff's Department, there were three other children in the home ages 9, 11 and 14.
All were unharmed and taken into the custody of the county Department of Children and Family Services.
Authorities urge anyone with information about the case to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
Tipsters can also use the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
If you or someone you know may be at risk,
call
or text
the Suicide Prevention Lifeline
number
988 , which offers free, confidential,
Spanish -language support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
With information from
the Los Angeles Times
and
NBC Los Angeles