BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Police discovered the body of an 8-year-old girl in a hotel bathtub after responding to a possible medical emergency at the La Quinta Inn on Riverside Drive.
Officers were called to the hotel at 5:37 p.m. on August 2 for reports that a child might be unconscious and not breathing. When they arrived, they received no response and found the bathroom door locked, forcing them to break in.
Inside, they discovered the deceased child who had been abandoned and showed signs of substantial trauma to her body.
The investigation led to the identification and arrest of Ray Mata Jr., 31, of Bakersfield and Graciela Bustamonte, 27, of Delano as suspects in the case.
Both suspects have been booked into Kern County Jail on charges of murder, torture and multiple counts of child abuse.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call BPD at 327-7111.
Support services are available for child abuse victims at the Open Door Network, which can be reached at 322-9199.
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the Kern County Child Abuse Hotline at 631-6011 or 1-800-540-4000.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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