Police Start Fund to Aid 2 Orphaned Children
SAN FERNANDO — Concerned over the welfare of two young children left orphans after the murder-suicide of their parents, officers at the San Fernando Police Department have started a fund.
Bedding, clothing, toys, money and other donations are needed for Manuel Sida Jr., 6, and his 4-year-old sister Guadalupe, who has Down syndrome.
The children were taken in by their aunt and uncle, said Sgt. Tony Ruelas of the San Fernando Police Department.
The aunt and uncle, who requested anonymity, have a limited income and two small children of their own, Ruelas said. The aunt is also expecting a third child within three months.
“They’ll have five kids, instead of the three that they were planning on, and that’s a lot to take on,” Ruelas said.
The children’s father, Manuel Sida, 28, shot and killed his estranged wife, Irma Melendez, 22, and then turned the gun on himself, police said.
Donations can be brought to the San Fernando Police Department, which will serve as a liaison between the community and the family, he said.
For more information, call (818) 898-1256.
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