Father faces charges, mother freed in fatal shooting of girl

These parents sound like the typical anchor babies the democrats want to protect. There are many traits that seem to stand out as common to these people. This is just daily news here in the California Central Valley.

Father faces charges, mother freed in fatal shooting of girl
By Susan Herendeen / The Modesto Bee
09/22/07 00:51:29
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The father of a 2-year-old who might have shot herself in the chest was in Stanislaus County Superior Court on Friday to be arraigned on a child endangerment charge and five other felonies, but the District Attorney's Office declined to press charges against the toddler's mother.

Felix Martinez Arellano II, 26, was given time to hire an attorney, so he has not entered any pleas.

Christina Castrillo, 24, was released from custody hours earlier.

"We don't have a crime, we believe, that we can prove against her," Chief Deputy District Attorney John Goold said.

A dozen family members attended the hearing to support Arellano, who was in shackles and a green and white striped jumpsuit. They declined to comment, but some grumbled that the situation is a tragedy, not a crime.

Arellano remains in custody, held in lieu of $500,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to court Oct. 29.

Ceres police were called to a home on the 3400 block of Ninth Street at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, when Arellano and Castrillo told the authorities that their toddler, Cruzita Arellano, accidentally shot herself in the chest with a .380-caliber handgun while they were asleep on a living room couch.

Police said they are examining the bullet's path, fingerprinting the gun and checking evidence of gun residue to determine how the child was shot.

They said the couple appeared to be high on drugs, though they will not have the results of blood tests for a few weeks.

The police found two ounces of methamphetamine in the house; that appears to be the basis for two of the charges prosecutors have lodged against Arellano, including possessing a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm and possessing a controlled substance for sale.

Police also said they found a stolen all-terrain vehicle, which may be the basis for a charge of receiving stolen property. Other items retrieved after the police obtained a search warrant for the home included cash, two more handguns and surveillance equipment.

Arellano also is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, he was convicted of drug possession in 2001 and 2004, and second-degree burglary in 2005. He also is charged with participating in a Norteño street gang.
The reporter can be reached at sherendeen@modbee.com or (209) 578-2338.

http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/145494.html