Three generations of a Modesto family — a grandmother, mother and newborn baby — were stabbed to death on Thursday morning, and police later arrested a suspect, authorities said.
Police were called at around 9:20 a.m. Thursday to a home on the 1600 Block of Monterey Avenue, a residential area near Orville Wright Elementary School.
Once inside, officers found 23-year-old Fabiola Gonzalez-Nunez and her mother, 54-year-old Maria Sylvia Nunez-Villalobos, suffering from multiple stab wounds, the Modesto Police Department said in a statement. Both women were pronounced dead at the residence.
Officers also found a two-week old baby suffering from stab wounds. The baby was taken to a local hospital, where he later died, police said. He was identified in a family fundraiser as Mateo Gonzalez, Gonzalez-Nunez’ son.
“Silvia was a cherished grandmother who loved her family deeply,” the organizers of the fundraiser wrote. “Fabiola was a devoted mother whose love for her children was endless. Mateo was a precious baby whose smile and innocence brought happiness to everyone around him.”
A 3-year-old child was found uninjured in the home, police said. The child was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation, then left in the custody of child protective services.
Orville Wright Elementary School was placed on lockdown as officers established a perimeter in the neighborhood. The suspect, 28-year-old Joaquin Escoto, was later found hiding in a nearby home, where he was arrested, police said.
At around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Escoto was booked into Stanislaus County Jail on suspicion of three counts of murder, as well as child endangerment, use of a deadly weapon and an outstanding warrant for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, jail records show.
Police said Escoto and Gonzalez-Nunez were the parents of the 3-year-old and investigators believe that Escoto lived with the victims in the home The full extent of their relationship remained unclear Thursday.
“The loss of three lives, including that of an infant child, is a heartbreaking tragedy,” police said in a statement. “While a suspect is now in custody, detectives continue their investigation as the victims’ families and loved ones face an unimaginable loss.”