The Antelope Valley Times

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Siblings drown in Lake Hughes [UPDATED]

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LAKE HUGHES – A boy and a girl drowned in Lake Hughes and authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau detectives responded at 6:55 p.m. Monday, April 18, to the 43100 block of Lake Hughes Road in the Angeles National Forest, northwest of Palmdale, where the victims were found near a pond, said Ronald Rodil of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Both victims were taken to Antelope Valley Hospital where the boy was pronounced dead around 9 p.m. on Monday, according to sheriff’s officials and media reports. Sheriff’s officials said the girl died about two hours later.

According to Fox 11, the preschool-aged siblings were outside playing, but they didn’t return when their family called them for dinner, and that’s when the family launched a search, Fox 11 reported.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the drowning is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.

UPDATE: An LASD news release issued Tuesday morning gave additional details on the incident. According to the news release:

Palmdale Sheriff Station deputies received a call of possible critical missing children. Upon arrival to the location, deputies contacted the mother who had removed her children from a nearby pond. The deputies observed the children were unresponsive and immediately began CPR.

Paramedics arrived at the location and continued lifesaving efforts and the children were airlifted to a nearby hospital where both were subsequently pronounced deceased.

Detectives later learned the children were last seen playing in the yard of the location. When the mother went to call them into the residence, she noticed the children were missing and began searching for them. The mother located them inside a shallow pond which was within a close proximity to the residence.

The children were siblings and are described as a 4-year-old male and a 3-year-old female.

There is no additional information available at this time. 

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

UPDATE: The siblings have been identified as 4-year-old Movses Aslanyan and 3-year-old Lilya Aslanyan.

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21 comments for "Siblings drown in Lake Hughes [UPDATED]"

  2. Indeed this is a very sad and tragic story. My heart goes out to the family.

    Other constant life threatening dangers include coyotes, rattlesnakes, scorpions, an occasional mountain lion. Children should never be left outside unsupervised.

    Adults need to be extra cautious too, the snakes are out of hibernation.

    Life in a rural area is indeed peaceful, less frantic and fun for kids to explore.

    • Yeah, sounds like a lot of fun with a helicopter parent staring down on them ever second…or chaining them inside because the parent is too busy to stare at them…y’know, like as if the parent actually has a life.

    • Is that what your parents did? You turned out fine. “Omg like don’t drink from the hose” the kids passing is indeed tragic however don’t go outside because I don’t know what or when but “something” might happen is not the answer

  3. “When the mother went to call them into the residence, she noticed the children were missing…”

    Parental failure. It didn’t have to be this way.

    • I don’t know what is more weird, the way people pretend that they spend every waking moment staring at their kids, or the possibility that some people actually do.

  4. Why in the world would a parent leave such young children outside, unsupervised?! My stomach is literally turning. RIP babies.

    • How dare you rush to cruel judgment without a single shred of fact.

      Any time a young person dies unexpectedly/accidentally there is a “homicide” investigation. It’s routine procedure.

      Your complete lack of compassion or empathy for this family, who is suffering the most horrific loss imaginable, makes my stomach literally turn.

  5. The Antelope Valley is infamous for child neglect, abuse, and murder. There’s probably more neglect, abuse, and murder than drownings in the Antelope Valley. So now we have a double homicide of children by drowning.

    ya can’t make this up

    • Your rush to call this a “double homicide is unbelievably cruel. No such thing has been suggested by law enforcement (all accidental deaths are investigated).

      You do not have the courage to put your real name down, do you? No, you can hide behind your computer screen and condemn a grieving family because no one can see you being evil and heartless. Well, I’ve got news for you: God sees you.

      Let law enforcement do their job. They do not need you to appoint yourself prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner.

      Why don’t you practice being a human being instead.

      • The article implies there might be more to the story.. take it up with the AV Times

    • Not judging. But how do you let “preschool ” age children go off and p.ay near water , unsupervised????? God be with this family, they are really gonna need you,

      • The mother did NOT “let them go off and play near water ,” the children were playing in their iwn yard and got out, BIG difference. and yeah, you are judging them.

        • Poor kids OMG heart breaking ;(…. If there is water near by THAT IS ITTTT… the parents new right??? !!!! It’s a shame x(… I have 3 kids on my own I’m so scared when I know some where near by there is a pool or lake e.c.t I never leave them alone playing because I know kids never think straight they do one thing next thing you turn your head they’re gone… ;(((