CBS News Los Angeles
An 8-year-old boy's dead body was discovered hidden in a cooler filled with ice inside a Lynwood apartment. Now a mother, father, and grandmother all face one felony count each of murder, torture, and child abuse resulting in death.
A California mother, father, and their child's paternal grandmother have been arrested and charged in connection with the death of an 8-year-old boy whose body was discovered hidden in a cooler filled with ice inside a Lynwood apartment.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced the arrests and charges, alleging the child, identified in court records as Isaiah H., was subjected to abuse "over a long period of time" before he eventually "succumbed to his injuries" on Oct. 24, according to an official press release.
Arrested were the boy's parents -- Destiny Luckie Harrison, 25, and Daniel Alberto Monzon, 25 -- as well as the paternal grandmother, Ana Carcamo Zarceno, 45. All three face one felony count each of murder, torture, and child abuse resulting in death, with allegations that they caused willful harm. Monzon and Zarceno are also charged with being accessories after the fact.
Deputies were called to the Lynwood apartment in the 3100 block of Euclid Avenue to conduct a welfare check Tuesday evening, as requested by an unidentified resident. Los Angeles County Fire Department pronounced the boy dead at the scene, according to CBS News.
According to the District Attorney's office, the boy’s body was found days after his death, on Oct. 28, in a cooler at the Lynwood apartment complex. The criminal complaint suggests the torture against the child began as early as April 2025, per a report from NBC LA.
"The horrific abuse that Isaiah endured is made even worse by the fact that, as alleged, it was at the hands of the people who were meant to love and protect him," said District Attorney Hochman in a press release.
Neighbors of the family expressed shock to local media outlets, describing the mother, Harrison, as calm and appearing like a "normal person" who would often be outside with her children and dog.
Neighbor Christian Torres told NBC LA that he would see the children at the home "come outside and play," while their mother would watch them.
"She would always be out here with her dog," Torres told the outlet. "She would smile, would say 'hi.' Nothing out of the ordinary."
Authorities discovered three additional children -- ages 16, 14, and 9 months -- at the apartment and placed them into protective custody, per a report from KTLA. One of these children has been named as a witness in the case, according to prosecutors. The difficulty in identifying the deceased boy, Isaiah, prompted authorities to note that they could not find any record of him attending school, per NBC LA.
Harrison appeared in court on Oct. 31 in Compton, Calif., though her defense attorney obscured her face from view. Monzon and Zarceno did not appear, with Monzon reportedly refusing and Zarceno claiming illness.
The trio is currently being held on $2 million bail each. If convicted on all charges, Harrison, Monzon, and Zarceno each face a sentence of 32 years to life in state prison. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office stated that the investigation is ongoing.
"This is an unimaginable and horrific tragedy," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn in a statement. "My heart breaks for what the other children in this home must have experienced, and it's critical that our Department of Children and Family Services do everything possible to support them and keep them safe in protective custody."
