BARSTOW, Calif. — Barstow Police detectives arrested Brandon Padilla-Aguilera on charges of murdering his two-year-old son, Xavier Padilla-Aguilera.
The tragic incident occurred on September 18, 2025, when Barstow Police and Fire personnel responded to a vehicle swept away by floodwaters on the 24000 block of West Main Street. Brandon Padilla-Aguilera, 26, and his son Xavier exited the vehicle but were separated by the floodwaters. Despite a massive search involving emergency responders and volunteers, Xavier was found deceased the following day.
The Barstow Police Detective Division conducted a month-long investigation, interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence. Based on their findings, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Padilla-Aguilera.
On October 17, 2025, at approximately 12:30 p.m., he was arrested at his Chandler Avenue residence without incident. He was booked into the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department High Desert Detention Center on charges of murder (PC 187[a]).
