Father arrested weeks after son, 2, drowns in Southern California flood

The father of a 2-year-old boy who was swept away and ultimately died in floodwaters near Barstow last month has been arrested and charged in the child’s death.

Brandon Padilla-Aguilera, 26, was arrested Friday at his home in the 300 block of Chandler Avenue, the Barstow Police Department said on social media.

That arrest came almost a month after 2-year-old Xavier Padilla-Aguilera and his father were separated in floodwaters in the 24000 block of West Main Street on Sept. 18. Xavier’s body was found the next day.

“Over the course of the month-long investigation, detectives spoke with witnesses and gathered evidence. Based on evidence obtained, detectives secured an arrest warrant for him,” police said without elaborating.

Padilla-Aguilera is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the High Desert Jail.

He was due to appear in Victorville Superior Court Tuesday morning.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office told KTLA that they filed charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death, as well as a special allegation of willful harm or injury causing death.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Bryce Carson at 760-255-5183 or bcarson@barstowca.org.

To report information anonymously, contact WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or visit wetip.com.

Morgan Ball contributed to this report.