Man arrested for throwing daughter off cliff to her death, stabbing others
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - A 49-year-old Palm Desert man has been arrested for killing his young daughter by throwing her off a cliff following a crash off Highway 74 south of Vista Point in Riverside County, authorities said Thursday.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department says the cowardly incident began at about 8:30 a.m. on May 6 in the 44100 block of Washington Street in the city of Indian Wells after receiving reports of a stabbing in a parking lot.
Responding deputies discovered a female victim with multiple injuries as a result of a domestic violence incident and quickly identified the suspect as Adam Slater. The victim was taken to the hospital where she is in stable condition, authorities said.
Approximately 30 minutes later, at 9 a.m., the California Highway Patrol received a report of a collision off Highway 74 involving Slater.
Good Samaritans approached the overturned vehicle to help the occupants when Slater got out, ran to the passenger side and stabbed the bystander who helped get the young girl out of the car, according to authorities. That Good Samaritan sought medical treatment on his own.
The Sheriff's Department says Slater then took the girl from the arms of the man he had stabbed and threw her over a steep cliff into a ravine. Multiple witnesses corroborated that account, the Sheriff's Department said.
Deputies were directed to Slater's last known location after taking off on foot into the canyon. After a short pursuit, Slater was caught and taken to a local hospital for injuries he suffered in the crash. Deputies and a CHP officer located the deceased child.
A booking photo of the suspect was not immediately available.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to call Investigator Munoz with the Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777.