Infant Girl's Death Under Investigation After Father Arrested On Murder Charge

SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 3-week-old girl from Newhall, whose father is suspected in her murder.

Deputies say the child's parents walked into the Santa Clarita station lobby at approximately 9:35 p.m. Friday to report their daughter missing from their home.

Deputies responded to the 21300 block of Alder Drive to investigate the circumstances surrounding the missing child, whose body was discovered around 7:30 a.m. Saturday in the cab of a truck parked in a lot in the 20600 block of Newhall Avenue.

On Saturday afternoon, CBS2's Adrianna Weingold reported that the child's father, 30-year-old Matthew Warner, led deputies to the location, and was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Warner's mother-in-law said her daughter was at work Friday night when something happened with Warner at the apartment they all shared. Other friends, like Ed Griffin, also would not specify what exactly happened, only saying something was very wrong.

"The suspects's nature and character of what normal life is at that house was different yesterday, and really sad," said Griffin.

Arthur Allen, one of the neighborhood volunteers who spent the night searching for the missing infant, was beside himself, worried for the safety of other children in the community while mourning the loss of a newborn's life.

"This was done in our neighborhood, in our area and to know that somebody can do something like this to a (3-week-old) child, what's to say he wouldn't do that to any of the other children around here," Allen said.

Officials said the infant's mother was held for questioning overnight as well as during the day Saturday, and is distraught.

Deputies say the infant was their only child.

The cause of death has not yet been determined.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the L.A. County Sheriff's Department's Santa Clarita Valley Station at (661) 255-1121. Those who wish to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-TIPS (8477), by texting "TIPLA" plus your tip to CRIMES (274637) or by using the Crime Stoppers website.