SAN BERNARDINO – A three-year-old child who produced a loaded handgun, aiming it at police detectives, led to a mother being taken into custody on Tuesday.
Detectives were questioning Kimberly Torres, 20, of San Bernardino at her home regarding a car burglary that had taken place on May 7. The victim was an off-duty Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff, said Lt. Travis Walker of San Bernardino police.
While at a San Bernardino area business, an unknown suspect broke into the victim’s car and stole two handguns and other police related property, Walker said.
Torres, who lives on the 2600 block of West Rialto Ave., was connected to the theft when a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop a few hours after the car burglary.
When the deputy searched the car, said Walker, “he found one of the victim’s stolen handguns, and arrested the driver – Ramon Quintero, 25, of San Bernardino. Torres was the registered owner of the car being driven by Quintero. Her address was traced through the car. When San Bernardino Police Dept. detectives questioned Torres, her three-year-daughter walked out of a bedroom, “holding a black semi-automatic pistol, with a tactical light attached to the gun,” said Walker.
Police display one of the recovered guns
The gun was pointed at the detectives who immediately took it away from the child. It was found to be loaded, said Walker, adding that the serial number revealed it was the other gun that had been stolen.
A search warrant was obtained, leading to a search and recovery of the remainder of the property taken in the car burglary, which had occurred at West Valley Street and North Stoddard Avenue.
Walker said the mother was arrested for child endangerment and taken to Central Detention Center. The child was removed from the residence by Child and Family Services.
