infant

Newhall Man Pleads Not Guilty in Infant Daughter's Murder

Matthew Brendan Warner, 30, was charged Jan. 27 in connection with the death of his daughter, Ellorah.

A Newhall man pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he sexually assaulted and killed his 19-day-old daughter, whose body was found in the cab of a pickup truck in Santa Clarita.

Matthew Brendan Warner, 30, was charged Jan. 27 in connection with the death of his daughter, Ellorah.

He is due back in a San Fernando courtroom April 28, when a date is scheduled to be set to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial on one count each of murder, assault on a child causing death, torture, oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child aged 10 or younger and aggravated sexual assault of a child.

The infant's body was found Jan. 24 in the front cab of a Nissan pickup in an apartment complex parking lot in the 23600 block of Newhall Avenue. Her parents had reported her missing the night before, authorities said.

Warner led investigators to the truck, which was parked about a half-mile from the condo he shared with the child's mother, authorities said.

Three-week-old Ellorah was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Information Bureau.

Warner was arrested that day and has remained in jail since then. He faces up to life in prison if convicted, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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