Officer recounts arrest of man accused of choking, dangling baby over railing

[one...two...tree 2,762]

SYLMAR - Officers Jake Fernandez and Ruben Gonzalez were patrolling the south end of the Mission Division early this morning when a call of a kidnapping attempt in progress came out at 1:05 a.m. up in Sylmar.

Initially the two officers didn't think much of it. Routine call. They get them all the time.

But then they read over their squad car computer that the suspect was dangling a baby over a railing and the call took a more ominous tone.

"This is going to be more serious than we thought," said Gonzalez, four months on the job.

Fernandez, a training officer, prepped Gonzalez on what to expect. Taser ready, they were the first ones to arrive at the scene, the Del Monico Motel, 13055 San Fernando Road, six minutes after the call came out.

On a second-floor balcony was a man wearing only boxers and possibly high on meth, Gonzalez said. He was dangling over the railing an 18-month-old baby girl wearing a pink jumper, the officer said.

The officers quickly approached but with caution as to not agitate the man. They ordered him in both Spanish and English to put the baby down. The man refused and ordered the officers to stay back - "Don't move! Take another step and I'll drop her," Gonzalez recalled the man saying.

Heads started to peek out of other motel rooms. The officers ordered them back inside.

Fernandez drew his shotgun loaded with beanbag rounds. Gonzalez drew his Taser. Neither man had a clear shot at the suspect.

"He was using his baby as a shield," Gonzalez said.

Officers chased the man along the balcony, the suspect choking the baby as he ran, Gonzalez said.

Eventuallly the man ran into a dead end and a motel guest, identified as Thomas Wolfe, helped block his path so officers could apprehend him.

Fernandez, who now had the Taser, had a clear shot. He used the gun to restrain the suspect while Gonzalez was able to take the baby away from him to safety. It took up to six officers to handcuff the suspect.

The suspect was taken to a hospital for cuts and bruises suffered during the struggle, then released to police for booking into jail. He was identified as Antonio Llerenas, 24, of Northridge.

The baby suffered bruises around the head and neck area but was examined and released by paramedics at the scene, police said. Her 21-year-old mother was not hurt.

The suspect was not the baby's father. The argument apparently was sparked when the baby's mother apparently broke the suspect's meth pipe, Gonzalez said.

The officers were praised by colleagues for their work, but Gonzalez deflected the accolades, saying simply, "That's what we do here."

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_7911582?source=rss#

[Amby 490]

from the title it sounded like michael jackson....but upon reading it such a sad story...idiot man

[Nagishkaw 510]

Life without parole!

[Ban Hammer 14,655]

The argument apparently was sparked when the baby's mother apparently broke the suspect's meth pipe, Gonzalez said.

and just how did that happen.........

[HAL 9000 96]

Automatic waterlogging requested.

[Ban Hammer 14,655]

Automatic waterlogging requested.

huh?

[~Chad~ 0]

Sad story

[Nagishkaw 510]

Suspend him by the nads!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Here we go again

[Alex+R 0]

[Dr. Obvious 49]

And the mother thought it was prudent to expose her child to violent methheads cuz...? Not that that excuses what he did, I am just saying.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I'm just glad no cats were hurt.

[natty bumppo 297]

Post #27

I don't get why people insist on expressing the idea that its somehow their place to take violent revenge for crimes that have nothing to do with them and which they have no investment in.

Making a case that child-rape should be a capital offence would be one thing (perhaps it should - but for my part I'm uneasy with the death penalty in general) - but noone seems to want to touch that, but rather the person should be stabbed, shot or otherwise buggered to death.

Then again its not the first time. Nor I suspect will the responses to these posts differ much from the norm. Between you and me - that's probably why threads like these don't have much mileage these days.

post #28

Exactly my guess. And thank god they don't have much mileage these days. I don't like seeing that side of human nature at all!

Umm ... which is it ?

[Alex+R 0]

What do you mean? The side of human nature to which I referred was the mob mentality of "string 'em up."

[natty bumppo 297]

What do you mean? The side of human nature to which I referred was the mob mentality of "string 'em up."

Oh ... so mobs bent on violence differ ?

The posted photo appears to show persons carrying items to be used for bludgeoning ... or maybe to cause harm to someone? Hence a "mob mentality"

Edited January 9, 2008 by Natty Bumppo