A California woman has been arrested for allegedly stabbing her mother to death.
Authorities in the city of El Monte have accused Kimberly Gonzalez, 25, of fatally stabbing her own mother, Jacquelin Perez, at the victim’s home on Ranchito Street near Santa Anita Avenue.
Perez, who was in her 40s, was found by officers who responded to the residence at around 5pm Sunday after a teen witnessed the stabbing and asked an adult to call 911, KTLA reports. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said that Perez was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering multiple stab wounds and that a possible murder weapon was recovered.
Gonzalez was arrested outside of the home, according to police. Footage taken by ABC7 suggests that Perez may have been decapitated, the network reports — The Independent has reached out to the LASD for comment.
The victim’s brother, Julio Perez, also told ABC that he first realised there was something wrong when his 11-year-old nephew rushed out of the home, with his shirt covered in blood and asked for help.
Witnesses said that the family had been celebrating the birthday of a small child over the weekend but it remains unclear what led to the violence on Sunday.
Gonzalez is being held on $2m bail.
“There’s blood on that side, there’s blood on the floor,” Hector Manzo, a neighbour of the victim, told ABC.
Perez was remembered by friends as a devoted caregiver to her children and grandchildren.
