A California man has been found guilty of murdering his four children and their grandmother.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that Germarcus Lamar David, 32, has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder and three counts of assault on a child causing death following the deaths of his family members in November 2021.
“The allegation of special circumstances of multiple murders was found to be true. The allegation that he personally used a firearm was also found to be true with several aggravating circumstances,” the office said in a press release.
David fatally shot Namyiah David (11), Germarcus David Jr. (7), Kaden David (2), Noah David (1) and their grandmother Erika England (51) at their family home in Lancaster on November 28, 2021.
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According to KTLA, England – who has worked at the California State Prison in Los Angeles County since 1997 – was babysitting the children when the shooting happened.
After returning home, their mother (and England’s daughter) discovered their deceased bodies and “was seen running around the front yard yelling ‘My babies are gone! They’re all dead,'” according to KABC-TV.
Officers arrived at the scene and found David’s children and their grandmother suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper torso, according to Fox 11. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Image of crime scene tape.
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Although David was previously a security guard, his permit to carry a gun had expired at the time of the shooting, according to KTLA.
“I am deeply grateful to the dedicated jury and skilled attorneys who tirelessly pursued justice in the case of Germarcus David,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.
“The emotional challenge of presenting evidence of such a senseless loss is immense. Their courage in seeking accountability and bringing closure to the victims and their families is truly commendable. We are committed to ensuring that Germarcus David never harms a beloved grandmother or innocent child again. Our hearts go out to the mother of the children, who suffered the unimaginable loss of all her children and her own mother in this tragic ordeal,” his statement reads.
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The sentencing of David is scheduled for April 24, it was announced.
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