District Attorney says Briant Reyes Estrada should have been deported after prior arrest until California law stopped it
PASO ROBLES — San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow has released a statement regarding the man now charged with the second-degree murder of his 6-year-old son. While the incident took place in Paso Robles, Dow has reported that Briant Reyes Estrada is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who was initially supposed to be deported after a previous arrest — until a California law stopped it.
“I am angry this boy died so unnecessarily. And I am even more incensed to learn this child’s death could have been prevented. California’s sanctuary state law (SB 54) should be repealed,” said District Attorney Dan Dow.
On the evening of Saturday, May 10, the Paso Robles Police Department was notified by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department regarding the death of a 6-year-old boy at Twin Cities Hospital in Templeton. Officers responded to the hospital and started an investigation. Due to the seriousness of the incident, the Paso Robles Police Department’s Detective Bureau was called out to investigate the circumstances.
The initial investigation indicated the child was transported to the hospital by his father, Briant Reyes Estrada, 27, of Paso Robles. Police say, it is suspected the child sustained life-threatening injuries, possibly heat-related, while inside a vehicle, which ultimately resulted in his death. Detectives believe Reyes Estrada’s vehicle may have been parked in the Paso Robles Inn parking lot for several hours prior to the incident. Paso Robles reached a high temperature of 99 degrees that day.
Reyes Estrada was initially arrested for 187(a) PC, murder, and 273a(a) PC, willful harm/injury to child, likely to produce great bodily injury. He was booked at the San Luis Obispo County Jail, and is being held without bail.
“He is presumed innocent until proven guilty. We will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law,” Dow said.
On Monday, May 12, the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District released a statement announcing the death of a Pat Butler Elementary School student, offering mental health services for students and staff.
On Wednesday, May 14, Dow announced in a social media video that after Reyes Estrada was arrested and booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on April 29, on an unrelated charge. Because he was in the country illegally, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) issued an order to detain him at the county jail. However, Dow says they have learned from US Attorney Bill Essayli that due to California’s state sanctuary law (SB 54) — also known as the California Values Act — Reyes Estrada was released and free to walk.
“Had Mr. Reyes Estrada been properly detained, he would not have been free and his son might be alive right now,” said Dow who then asked the public for their support in speaking out and urging the state to repeal SB 54.
SB 54 essentially limits the role of state and local law enforcement in federal immigration enforcement and can prohibit law enforcement from investigating, interrogating, detaining, or arresting individuals for immigration enforcement purposes. The bill was signed in 2017 by then-Governor Jerry Brown.
On Wednesday, May 14, Reyes Estrada appeared in court for the first time, where he pleaded not guilty to killing his son. He will appear in court again on Thursday, May 22, for a pre-preliminary hearing.
Watch the full video here: fb.watch
