On Thursday, September 18, 2025, at approximately 7:14 P.M., the Barstow Police...

On Thursday, September 18, 2025, at approximately 7:14 P.M., the Barstow Police Department and Barstow Fire Protection District were dispatched to the area of the 24000 block of West Main Street regarding reports of a vehicle that had been swept away by floodwaters.

Responding units determined that the vehicle had been carried into a wash north of West Main Street. As the vehicle was overtaken by the floodwaters, the driver, 26-year-old Barstow resident, Brandon Padilla-Aguilera, and his two-year-old son, Xavier Padilla-Aguilera, exited the vehicle, but were ultimately separated from each other. Numerous emergency responders from allied agencies and civilian volunteers assisted in conducting an extensive search; unfortunately, Xavier was located deceased on September 19, 2025.

Due to the severity of the incident, the Barstow Police Department Detective Division assumed responsibility for the investigation. Over the course of the month-long investigation, detectives spoke with witnesses and gathered evidence. Based on evidence obtained, detectives secured an arrest warrant for him.

On Friday, October 17, 2025, at approximately 12:30 P.M., Barstow Police Department detectives arrested Brandon Padilla-Aguilera at his residence in the 300 block of Chandler Avenue, without incident. He was subsequently booked into the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department High Desert Detention Center on charges of Murder PC 187(a) Murder.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation may contact Detective Bryce Carson at (760) 255-5183 or bcarson@barstowca.org. Those wishing to remain anonymous may also report criminal activity by calling the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.