A 32-year-old mother from Westminster, California, Khadiyjah Aliyyah Pendergraph, was arrested on murder charges related to the death of her nine-year-old daughter, Victoria, who was nonverbal and confined to a wheelchair.
On Friday afternoon, November 24, 2023, the Westminster Police Department received a call from the child’s father, who reported the young girl missing. He had attempted to pick her up at her mother’s apartment on Thanksgiving, but no one was home, and the door was locked. This prompted officers to conduct a welfare check at a home located on Goldenwest Street in Westminster.
Upon arrival, officers had to force entry into the apartment, where they discovered the young girl’s lifeless body in a bathtub. It was apparent to responders that the body had been there for several days. The house was empty at the time of entry.
The investigation focused on her mother, labeling her as a person of interest in the case.
Police apprehended her at a grocery store parking lot in Aliso Viejo, Orange County. Following her arrest, Pendergraph was booked on murder charges for the alleged drowning death of her daughter. She is being held at the Orange County Jail.
In 2016, the mother filed a restraining order against the child’s father. She claimed in the document that the young girl was not safe in the presence of her father and that she, the mother, would “keep her safe at all times.”
Westminster Police Chief Darin Lenyi expressed the profound impact of this case, noting the difficult nature of the crime due to the involvement of a parent in the alleged murder of their child.
Those with relevant information or who wish to provide anonymous tips can contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS or visit their website at occrimestoppers.org.
