Crime
Barstow Woman Arrested for Child Abuse and Attempted Murder of 3-Year-Old Stepdaughter
On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at approximately 10:53 a.m., the Barstow Police Department dispatch center received a report from Barstow Community Hospital regarding an unresponsive 3-year-old girl who had been brought in by her stepmother.
Hospital staff determined that the child was not breathing and had sustained severe injuries covering her entire body, including her head and face.
Medical personnel at Barstow Community Hospital successfully resuscitated the child and, due to the severity of her injuries, transferred her to Loma Linda University Medical Center for further treatment.
Upon arrival, hospital staff discovered that the child had suffered multiple strokes due to a significant brain bleed, which necessitated the removal of a portion of her skull.
A team of forensic pediatricians at Loma Linda assessed the child and concluded that she had both recent and older injuries consistent with long-term child abuse.
The Barstow Police Departmentโs Detective Division took over the investigation, with Detective Gemma Day leading the case.
The extensive investigation involved interviews with multiple witnesses, execution of search warrants, and consultations with forensic pediatricians from Loma Linda University Medical Center and the Childrenโs Assessment Center, as well as coordination with the San Bernardino County District Attorneyโs Office.
Through the investigation, Detective Day determined that the childโs stepmother, identified as 32-year-old Enid Rodriguez Avila, was the sole individual responsible for the abuse. Based on the evidence gathered, an arrest warrant was issued for Avila.
On Thursday, February 20, 2025, Barstow Police Detectives located and arrested Avila in Victorville. She was subsequently booked into the San Bernardino Sheriffโs Department High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto, facing the following charges:
- PC 273a(b) โ Child Abuse Causing Paralysis
- PC 206 โ Child Torture
- PC 664/187(a) โ Attempted Murder
Authorities urge anyone with information related to this case to contact Detective Gemma Day at 760-255-5132 or via email at gday@barstowca.org.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can provide information through the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27468) or by visiting www.wetip.com.
Crime
5 dead including 3 children in Silver Rail Elementary shooting in Bend, teenage shooter killed by a Good Samaritan
BEND, Ore. โ Five people were reportedly killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in southeast Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, including three children, one adult victim, and the teenage suspect, according to preliminary information attributed to federal law enforcement.
The reported shooting prompted a major emergency response involving police, fire crews, and emergency medical services.
Authorities issued an alert at approximately 1:17 p.m., warning of a large police presence at the elementary school and urging the public to avoid the area.
According to the information provided, four victims were killed at the school. Three of those victims were children, while the fourth was an adult. The suspected gunman, described in preliminary reports as a teenager, was also reported dead, bringing the reported total to five fatalities.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the identities of the victims and the suspect, had not been fully established in the information available.
Preliminary reports indicated that the suspected gunman was a teenager and was killed after being confronted by a Good Samaritan.
Earlier scanner traffic reportedly indicated that the suspect had been neutralized. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the individual who intervened may have been a father of a student at the school.
However, authorities had not publicly confirmed all the circumstances surrounding the confrontation or independently verified the reported identity and role of the person who intervened.
Investigators are expected to examine the sequence of events leading up to the shooting, how the suspect was stopped, and whether the suspect acted alone.
The first police alert was issued at approximately 1:17 p.m. Thursday. It described a large police presence at Silver Rail Elementary School and instructed the public to stay away from the area.
Fire and emergency medical services personnel were seen responding near the school as authorities worked to address the reported threat and assist those affected.
The shooting prompted urgent concern among families and the surrounding community, particularly after reports indicated that children were among the victims.
Approximately 10 minutes after the initial alert, police announced a reunification site for students and their families at Journey Church, located at 61303 S. Highway 97 in Bend, near Goodwill and Dairy Queen.
Parents and guardians were instructed to go to the designated location to reunite with students and receive further information.
Authorities urged families to follow official instructions and avoid approaching the school while emergency operations continued.
The reported shooting also prompted precautionary security measures at nearby schools. Parents received alerts indicating that Caldera High School and Jewell Elementary School had been placed on lockdown Thursday afternoon.
The lockdowns were reported as law enforcement responded to Silver Rail Elementary and worked to secure the surrounding area.
Further information was needed to establish how long the lockdowns remained in effect and when normal school operations resumed.
Although preliminary information indicated five deaths, including three children, one adult victim, and the teenage suspect, additional official confirmation is needed regarding the victims’ identities, the suspect’s identity, and the circumstances of the shooting.
The reported involvement of a Good Samaritan also requires confirmation from investigators.
This remains a developing story. Further details should be added as law enforcement and school officials release verified information about the shooting and the investigation.