Man Arrested In Connection With 2-Year-Old Found Dead on Bus

CALIFORNIA CITY — A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of a two-year-old boy found on a bus on Wednesday morning.

Intersection of Neuralia Road and California City Boulevard, where the bus came to a stop and the boy was pronounced dead

Mathew Berry was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Kern County Jail for one count of first degree murder and assault on a child causing death.

According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the body of Pharaoh Vanvactor was discovered on a Kern Regional Transit Bus in California City at about 7:25 a.m. on Nov. 20.

California City police officers responded to discover Vanvactor, who was not breathing. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers began an investigation and were able to determine that the child had been in the company of an adult male in an area on the side of the roadway about 10 miles north of California City where a bus driver picked the two up.

The adult male, later identified as Berry, the toddler’s mother’s boyfriend, told the driver the child was having medical complications and was not breathing. The bus driver notified his dispatch and began driving toward California City.

On Nov. 21, an autopsy was performed, which determined the toddler’s death was caused by blunt force trauma.

Detectives immediately began a homicide investigation, determining Berry as their primary suspect.

He was taken into custody without incident.

Read more:

KERO-TV: Deputies arrest 26-year-old Matthew Berry in connection with 2-year-old boys death

The Bakersfield Californian: Man arrested in connection with dead toddler brought aboard bus