CRIME
Dead Infant, Injured Girl Found On L.A. Freeway May Be Connected To Homicide And Fatal Car Crash, Police Say
Los Angeles Police Department
Authorities believe a dead infant and injured child found on the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles early Monday are connected to a homicide in Woodland Hills and a fatal crash in Redondo Beach.
At around 4:30 a.m. Monday, the California Highway Patrol responded to the scene on the 405 Freeway after 911 callers reported seeing injured children on the road in the Westchester area. Troopers arrived to find a 5- or 6-month-old infant in lanes of traffic and a 7- to 9-year-old girl injured on the side of the road. The baby was pronounced dead at the scene and the girl was transported to the hospital.
At around 5 a.m., the Redondo Beach Police Department responded to the scene of a deadly crash, where it appeared a woman drove into a tree at high speed and died.
At around 7:30 a.m., the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a report of a dead body at an apartment complex on Variel Avenue in Woodland Hills, just north of Topanga. The deceased individual at that location was reportedly a man.
At this time, Valley Bureau Homicide detectives are working with the California Highway Patrol on the incident involving the two children and believe it is connected to the Topanga homicide scene, the LAPD said in a statement Monday afternoon.
They are also collaborating with the Redondo Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office to determine if that scene is related to the homicide, police said.
Per reports, it is believed the injured girl found on the 405 Freeway may have been a witness to the homicide. Authorities did not publicly identify the deceased woman or the deceased man, and did not provide details on how the two children may have ended up alone in traffic.
“At the moment, its unknown how those minors arrived onto the freeway,” CHP Officer Isabel Diaz said at a press conference. “This is where were requesting the publics assistance.”
Diaz said witnesses reported seeing a black sedan in the area at the time of the incident.
Authorities are asking anyone who was in the area of northbound 405 at Centinela Avenue at around 4:30 a.m. to come forward with any information.
TMX contributed to this article.
