West Hills triple killing sparks conversation about mental health

The shocking triple killing in the San Fernando Valley, where a mother and a 16-year-old boy were arrested in connection to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and 8-year-old twin boys, has sparked conversations about mental health. 

These types of cases have occurred before in Southern California. 

In April of last year, Liliana Carrillo was arrested for allegedly killing her three children in Reseda. In another case, Carol Coronado was sentenced to three life terms for the 2014 killings of her three daughters in their home near Torrance. 

“These are horrendous things that occur, but they don’t happen that frequently. So, we have to, again, keep that in mind,” Dr. Moe Gelbart said.  

Gelbart is the Executive Director of Behavioral Health at Torrance Memorial. Before that, he was a police psychologist with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. 

“These actions don’t occur out of nowhere,” said Gelbart. 

There are often red flags, according to Gelbart, that involve changes in behavior, bizarre thinking or bizarre actions, and that it’s important for society to not laugh-off these signs and take them seriously. It’s vital that a person in mental distress see a psychiatrist, though if it’s not a family member or friend, Gelbart had some advice for what people should do. 

“If it looks real serious and you have some concerns, especially when children are involved, like in this case, then we have to call the authorities,” he said. 

Cases involving parents killing their children can stick in people’s minds, but Gelbart believes society has made progress in understanding that mental illness is treatable. 

“Have we learned anything? I think we’re learning to be…our eyes more open, you know, our ears more open and to be more aware of what’s going on us, and to hopefully have some understanding that mental illness is a treatable condition,” Gelbart said. 

Gelbart also said that about 95% of people who struggle with mental illness do not commit acts of violence. 

The investigation into the West Hills case continues. Anyone with information about the investigation can call the LAPD’s Abused Child Section, Juvenile Division, at (213) 486-0500.

If you or someone you know needs help, contact the NAMI Helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or [email protected] or visit https://www.nami.org/help.