SANTA FE SPRINGS >> A man died of unknown causes after his daughter stabbed both him and his girlfriend at the mobile home all three shared in Santa Fe Springs, police said.
Janette Buena, 27, was booked on suspicion of murder following the 9:45 p.m. incident in the 8000 block of Sorensen Avenue, according to Whittier police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
Her father, 63, suffered a minor stab wound to his hand in the incident but initially declined medical treatment, Whittier police Lt. Kent Miller said.
But about 15 minutes later, the man collapsed in apparent cardiac arrest, officials said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was soon pronounced dead.
The man’s name was not available Wednesday pending notification of family members, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
The man’s girlfriend, a 46-year-old woman, suffered stab wounds to head, arms and hands, Whittier police officials said in a written statement. Her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
“According to the victims, Buena, for unknown reasons, began to attack her father and his girlfriend,” according to the statement.
The suspect’s father and girlfriend locked themselves in the bathroom of the mobile home and called 911.
Arriving officers encountered Buena at the mobile home’s doorway, officials said. She retreated back into the mobile home and began trying to get into the locked bathroom where the two victims were hiding.
“Whittier Police Officers followed her inside the residence and deployed three bean bag rounds from their shotgun, hitting Buena, but she did not drop the knife,” the statement said. “Officers then used their Taser. Buena fell to the ground long enough for the officers to take her into custody, although she was still resistive.”
Police recovered to large, butcher-style kitchen knives from the scene, Miller said. It was yet to be determined whether one or both knives had been used in the alleged attack.
Based on the victims’ injuries, it appeared the female victim was the primary target of the attack, and the suspect’s father may have been injured while trying to pull a knife away from her, Miller said.
The motive behind the stabbing was unclear.
The investigation now largely hinges on the findings of coroner’s investigators, who are working to determine the man’s specific cause of death.
According to Los Angeles County booking records, Buena was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Whittier Police Department’s jail pending her initial court appearance.