In an incident that has shocked Lancaster, California, a father was arrested and charged with the murder of his two young daughters in what the Los Angeles County District Attorney referred to as “a startling act of hostility.”
Authorities report that Prospero Guadalupe Serna, a 38-year-old father, committed the brutal killing of his seven-year-old daughter, Ziasia, and his three-year-old, Najila Serna, on the night of October 29, 2023. The incident has brought an overwhelming sense of grief to Lancaster residents.
Besides claiming the lives of the two innocent girls, the harrowing attack resulted in injuries to their siblings who fortunately survived the horrifying incident, although with non-fatal injuries. Upon grasping the severity of the situation, the children’s mother promptly called 911.
Responding to the shocking scene at the family’s residence, the deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department found the girls beaten and stabbed. The pursuit for the killer, who had fled the scene, ended with the capture of Serna, marked by a physical confrontation with the deputies.
Serna now faces a slew of charges, including two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, two instances of assault on a child causing death, and one count of child abuse. A conviction on these charges would mean Serna spending the rest of his life in jail without the possibility of parole. He had several restraining orders placed on him in the past for domestic violence, and had lost custody of some of his children in 2022.
In light of the traumatic events they had witnessed, the surviving children are currently under the attention of protective services. The priority is ensuring their immediate security and fostering a secure setting for their future.