Photo: Pima County Sheriff’s Department
A mother of two has been arrested after her son and daughter were found decapitated last year at their California home.
Natalie Brothwell, 44,has been chargedwith two counts of murder and two counts of felony child endangerment, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday.
She was arrested Tuesday at her home in Tucson, Arizona. She will be held at the Pima County Jail pending extradition back to California, according to deputies.
An attorney for Brothwell could not be immediately identified to comment on her behalf.
The father of the children, Maurice Taylor Sr., was charged for their death in December. He remains in custody, deputies said.
Taylor, who works at a physical therapy center in Santa Monica, has been charged with two felony counts each of murder and child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily harm, according toCBS Los Angelesand theLos Angeles Times.
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The couple’s 12-year-old son, Maurice Taylor Jr., and 13-year-old daughter, Maliaka Taylor, were found decapitated in the family home in Lancaster on the morning of Dec. 4, both outlets reported.
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According to a priornews releasefrom the department, the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to a report of a possible gas leak at Taylor’s home, after receiving a call from one of Taylor’s clients, who previously told theLos Angeles Timesshe was worried after Taylor failed to send a Zoom link for a scheduled training session.
Fire personnel arrived at the home, located at the 45000 block of Century Circle, at around 7:50 a.m. and discovered the two children dead inside.
According to the release, the son and daughter were found suffering from “lacerations and stab wounds.” Later reports confirmed that the children were decapitated.
Taylor is being held in lieu of $4.2 million bail, jail records show. He is next scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 10. If convicted, Taylor could face up to 57 years and four months to life in state prison.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is being asked to contact the LA County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
source: people.com
