SANTA FE SPRINGS >> A Santa Fe Springs woman arrested on suspicion of stabbing her father and her father’s girlfriend last week, after which the father died of undetermined causes, is awaiting trial on assault and other charges as coroner’s officials continue investigating what killed the man, officials said.
Janette Buena, 27, pleaded not guilty Dec. 22 to one count of assault with a deadly weapon on her father’s girlfriend, three counts of brandishing a knife at police while resisting arrest and one count of cocaine possession, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Ricardo Santiago said.
No charge had been filed in connection with the death of her father, identified by coroner’s officials as 63-year-old Manuel Buena.
Manuel Buena suffered an apparently minor stab wound to his hand and declined medical treatment, Whittier police Lt. Kent Miller said. But minutes later, he collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead.
Manuel Buena’s officials cause of death is yet to be determined by Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner investigators.
The incident unfolded about 9:45 p.m. on Dec. 20 at a mobile home the three shared in the 8000 block of Sorensen Avenue, according to Whittier police Lt. Kent Miller.
Buena allegedly attacked her father and his 46-year-old girlfriend with at least one large knife, police said in a written statement.
The father’s girlfriend suffered stab wounds to her head, hands and arms, police said. The father suffered a stab wound to his right hand.
Police said the victim’s locked themselves in the bathroom of the mobile home and called 911.
Responding officers encountered Janette Buena at the doorway, still armed with a knife, officials said. She retreated back into the mobile home and tried to force her way in to the bathroom where the two injured victim’s were.
Police fired three bean bag rounds at the suspect, but she refused to drop the knife, according to police. Officers then used a Taser to subdue her and take her into custody. Two 8- to 10-inch-long kitchen knives were recovered at the scene.
Janette Buena suffered a broken wrist during the incident, likely from the bean bag rounds, police added.
Manuel Buena’s girlfriend was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, Miller said.
The lieutenant said Manuel Buena declined medical treatment of what appeared to be a relatively minor injury to his hand.
But about 15 minutes later, he collapsed in cardiac arrest, officials said. He soon died at a hospital.
Police initially arrested Janette Buena on suspicion of the murder of her father.
But as Manuel Buena’s cause of death remained unclear, prosecutors charged her only in connection with the stabbing of her father’s girlfriend, as well as brandishing knives at police and possession of cocaine.
According to county booking records, Janette Buena was being held in lieu of $106,500 bail. She is scheduled to appear Friday for a pre-preliminary hearing in the Norwalk branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.