iStock/Thinkstock(LANCASTER, Calif.) — A 10–year-old California boy has died after a fall investigators are calling “suspicious” and authorities removed seven other children from the apartment where the child was found, ABC station KABC reported.
Anthony Avalos was found unresponsive in his family’s apartment in Lancaster on Wednesday, reportedly suffering from a fall, officials said.
Deputies from the Lancaster station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the apartment complex on the 1100 block of East Avenue K around 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, “regarding a medical rescue call of a 10-year-old boy not breathing,” according to as statement from the LASD. Lt. Derrick Alfred of the sheriff’s departmen ttold ABC News that Anthony’s mother made the emergency call.
“Upon arrival, the victim was discovered in his family’s apartment unresponsive,” said to have “suffered injuries from a fall,” the statement said. Anthony was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced died the next morning.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed they have had previous interactions with this family before.
Seven children, ages 11 months to 12 years, who were associated with the victim’s family have been removed from the home, pending further investigation by the L.A. Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau and Special Victims Bureau.
“As a Department, our first and foremost priority is the safety of our County’s children and we grieve whenever we hear of a child’s death,” Bobby Cagle, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, said in a statement to ABC News. “We also try to understand how such tragedies occur and we work hard to figure out how they might have been prevented in the first place. But, unfortunately, we are reminded at times that people are capable of the unspeakable.”
As of Friday morning, no arrests have been made.
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