CA - Maurice Taylor Jr, 12 & Maliaka Taylor, 13, decapitated, Lancaster, 29 November 2020 *parents arrested*

[LaborDayRN]

Monday, February 2nd:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 8:30am PT) – CA- Maurice Taylor, Jr. (12) & Maliaka Taylor (13) (killed on Nov. 29, 2020, found on Dec. 4, 2020, Lancaster, found decapitated) – *Maurice Jewel Taylor, Sr. (34/now 38) “father” arrested (12/4/20), charged (12/8/20) & arraigned (12/21/20) & re-arraigned (11/10/21) & re-arraigned (4/26/22) with 2 counts of felony murder & 2 counts child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death (8 & 9 yr. old boys were starved for several days). Plead not guilty. $4.2M Bond.
*Natalie Sumiko Brothwell (44/now 48) “mom” charged (9/27/21) & arrested (9/28/21) & extradited to CA (10/14/21) & arraigned (11/10/21) & re-arraigned (4/26/22) with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & 2 counts of child endangerment (8 & 9 yr. old boys). Plead not guilty. $2M bond. Bond raised (10/14/21) to $4.2M. LA County
Jury selection began on 10/14/25 & ended 10/17/25.
Trial began on 10/20/25 & ended 11/14/25.
Jury starts deliberations on 11/17/25 & ended same day. Both-GUILTY of all counts. Sentencing hearing on 1/13/26 was reset on 2/2/26.
Judge Michael D Antonovich presiding. Deputy DAs Kirsten A. Brown & Alexander F. Lara. Taylor's attorney Christopher Chaney & Brothwell's attorney Hung Phi Du.
Court info from 12/4/20 & 9/27/21 thru 10/8/25r& Jury Selection Day 1-4 (10/14-17/25) & Trial Days 1-16 (10/20-11/17/25) & thru 11/21/25 reference post #592 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ster-dec-2020-parents-arrested.552703/page-30
1/13/26 Update: Sentencing hearing was reset on 2/2/26 @ 8:30am. Next show cause hearing on 1/16/26 @ 8:30am.
1/16/26 Update: No info yet. Next sentencing hearing on 2/2/26 @ 8:30am.

That's today! I hope sentencing isn't pushed back again!

 

[LaborDayRN]

Monday, February 2nd:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 8:30am PT) – CA- Maurice Taylor, Jr. (12) & Maliaka Taylor (13) (killed on Nov. 29, 2020, found on Dec. 4, 2020, Lancaster, found decapitated) – *Maurice Jewel Taylor, Sr. (34/now 38) “father” arrested (12/4/20), charged (12/8/20) & arraigned (12/21/20) & re-arraigned (11/10/21) & re-arraigned (4/26/22) with 2 counts of felony murder & 2 counts child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death (8 & 9 yr. old boys were starved for several days). Plead not guilty. $4.2M Bond.
*Natalie Sumiko Brothwell (44/now 48) “mom” charged (9/27/21) & arrested (9/28/21) & extradited to CA (10/14/21) & arraigned (11/10/21) & re-arraigned (4/26/22) with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & 2 counts of child endangerment (8 & 9 yr. old boys). Plead not guilty. $2M bond. Bond raised (10/14/21) to $4.2M. LA County
Jury selection began on 10/14/25 & ended 10/17/25.
Trial began on 10/20/25 & ended 11/14/25.
Jury starts deliberations on 11/17/25 & ended same day. Both-GUILTY of all counts. Sentencing hearing on 1/13/26 was reset on 2/2/26.
Judge Michael D Antonovich presiding. Deputy DAs Kirsten A. Brown & Alexander F. Lara. Taylor's attorney Christopher Chaney & Brothwell's attorney Hung Phi Du.
Court info from 12/4/20 & 9/27/21 thru 10/8/25r& Jury Selection Day 1-4 (10/14-17/25) & Trial Days 1-16 (10/20-11/17/25) & thru 11/21/25 reference post #592 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ster-dec-2020-parents-arrested.552703/page-30
1/13/26 Update: Sentencing hearing was reset on 2/2/26 @ 8:30am. Next show cause hearing on 1/16/26 @ 8:30am.
1/16/26 Update: No info yet. Next sentencing hearing on 2/2/26 @ 8:30am.

My local ABC 7 news station just had a short blurb (a tease as they refer to it) about the sentencing but they didn't say much. Hopefully they will say more on the evening news.

 

[Gemmie]

Lancaster parents sentenced to life in prison for decapitating their two children​

Lancaster parents sentenced to life in prison for decapitating their two children

A Lancaster father and mother have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of their two children who were found decapitated inside their home.

abc7.com

 

[LaborDayRN]

Lancaster parents sentenced to life in prison for decapitating their two children​

Lancaster parents sentenced to life in prison for decapitating their two children

A Lancaster father and mother have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of their two children who were found decapitated inside their home.

abc7.com

Thank you Gemmie!!! I hope they're miserable for the rest of their pathetic lives. It took a very long time to get here but they got what they deserved IMO.

 

[BajaMah]

I recorded this from the news this evening. I sure wish they would have filmed in the courtroom.

 

[BajaMah]

I recorded this from the news this evening. I sure wish they would have filmed in the courtroom.

The grandmother posted on the FB today that an appeal was filed after the sentencing. Of course it was… that’s protocol. She also said that they were asking Newsom for a pardon and contacting the Innocence Project. The murder Kim’s best friend read a victims impact statement and told her she forgave her. She believes Natalie was involved, but grandma still says she’s innocent. Says everyone lied about her daughter. I get very angry, because grandma asks people to send her daughter money, so that she can buy books and food. It seems most of her friends recognize the truth now, but one or two have sent Natalie money. she will be sent to Chowchilla. Don’t prisoners look at child abusers and child killers very unfavorably? I hope so. My heart aches for the kids. The county is still trying to find a home for the youngest boy who has many serious problems.

 

[LaborDayRN]

The grandmother posted on the FB today that an appeal was filed after the sentencing. Of course it was… that’s protocol. She also said that they were asking Newsom for a pardon and contacting the Innocence Project. The murder Kim’s best friend read a victims impact statement and told her she forgave her. She believes Natalie was involved, but grandma still says she’s innocent. Says everyone lied about her daughter. I get very angry, because grandma asks people to send her daughter money, so that she can buy books and food. It seems most of her friends recognize the truth now, but one or two have sent Natalie money. she will be sent to Chowchilla. Don’t prisoners look at child abusers and child killers very unfavorably? I hope so. My heart aches for the kids. The county is still trying to find a home for the youngest boy who has many serious problems.

I agree with you about the kids. I hope and pray they are able to get the help they absolutely must need. This whole nightmare is so heartbreaking.

 

[Niner]

Thank you ALL for the updates!

 

[Orbweaver]

Wow. I’m just finding out about this case now. Those poor innocent babies. And the survivors that will live with the trauma. The immense physical effort it must have taken to do what those parents did…

I’m sorry to ask without reading through the whole thread (I’ve read through some, though!) - is there any information out there as to *why* the parents did this? Or, rather, their story as to why?