Noah Cuatro

Parents Arrested in Death of 4-Year-Old Palmdale Boy, Sources Say

The arrest comes more than two months after the parents of Noah Cuatro told deputies that the boy drowned at their apartment complex pool

What to Know

  • Deputies who responded to the family's home in July were told he had drowned in the apartment complex pool
  • Injuries on Noah's body prompted an investigation into his death, which investigators called suspicious
  • As the I-Team has documented, DCFS has been part of Noah's life since he was born

The parents of a 4-year-old Palmdale boy, whose death in July was deemed suspicious by deputies who responded to his family's home, have been arrested, multiple sources tell NBC4.

The arrest comes more than two months after the parents of Noah Cuatro told Los Angeles Sheriff's Department deputies that the boy drowned at their apartment complex pool. 

"The criminal arrest of Noah Cuatro’s biological parents is an important step forward in this ongoing case. Since the moment I learned of Noah’s tragic death, I committed to hold all negligent parties accountable. I’ve ensured full transparency during this investigation. We’ve highlighted areas to improve and have already implemented meaningful reforms. I’m grateful to the Sheriff’s Department detectives who worked around the clock investigating Noah’s death. I’ll continue to be engaged on this case with the Sheriff and the District Attorney," Supervisor Kathryn Barger said.

Deputies who responded to the home where the boy lived said that injuries on Noah's body prompted an investigation into his death that they called suspicious. Noah was airlifted to Palmdale Regional Medical Center and then to Children's Hospital Los Angeles, where he died on July 6.

What led to the boy's death remains unclear, but deputies said his injuries were not consistent with a drowning. An autopsy is still pending.

Details regarding charges in the case were not immediately available.

His parents were questioned at the time, but not arrested. 

A removal order that could have taken the boy out of the home was issued in May, but never executed. The order was submitted to a court and approved by a judge.

The boy died about two months after the order was issued. 

As the I-Team has documented, DCFS has been part of Noah's life since he was born. 

Earlier this month, the NBC4 I-Team reported that a new report from the Office of Child Protection outlined a social worker's concerns. The worker who asked the judge for the removal order told a judge that Noah's parents were not "compliant" or "truthful."

A relative of Noah's mother said the boy's parents loved him and the children very much, insisting that the family's home life is not being represented accurately.

NBC4's Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report.

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