Lancaster dad Prospero Serna charged with killing 2 of his children

Lancaster dad charged with killing his 2 kids

A Lancaster father has been charged with murder in the deaths of two of his children. Prospero Serna allegedly beat and stabbed two of his children to death. Two other children were injured. Serna could face life in prison without parole.

LANCASTER, Calif. - A father has been charged with the murders of his two young children and attacking another child at a home in Lancaster, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

Prospero Guadalupe Serna, 38, appeared in court Wednesday on two counts each of murder and assault on a child under 8 causing death and one count each of attempted murder and child abuse. His arraignment was postponed until Nov. 30, but Serna was ordered to remain jailed without bail.

According to the criminal complaint, there is a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, along with allegations that he personally used a sharp object during the commission of the crime, personally inflicted great bodily injury on a child under five years old, and that he has a prior conviction from 2017 for unlawfully causing a fire of a structure or forest land.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dad arrested after 2 children killed, 2 others injured in Lancaster

Serna allegedly attacked three of his children, killing two of them, while he was in the home with his four children and their mother on Saturday, according to officials.

Prospero Serna

"Two young lives were abruptly cut short in an astonishing act of brutality," District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. "This is a profoundly heart-wrenching tragedy that has shaken our community to its core. Our hearts ache for the innocent lives lost and those who will have to live the rest of their lives reliving a nightmare."

Deputies responded to a call Saturday reporting child abuse in the 1800 block of East Avenue J-2 around 11:50 p.m. At the scene, deputies found four children all under the age of 10 suffering from cuts to their bodies. All four children were taken to the hospital.

Officials confirmed that the other two children Najila Serna, 3, and Ziasia Serna, 7, later died at the hospital. Both had been beaten and stabbed to death, according to officials.

The other two children - including one who was injured - were found hiding in the home. Those two children are recovering.

Serna was initially detained as a person of interest early Saturday morning. By Monday, however, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said that "homicide detectives determined there was sufficient evidence to arrest Prospero Serna for the crimes of murder and child abuse. However, [Serna] is refusing to cooperate with Sheriff's deputies, therefore delaying his booking process."

Serna could face a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 25 years if he is convicted as charged.

City News Service contributed to this report.