Lancaster, California – A Los Angeles County jury has convicted a California couple of murdering their two eldest children in a horrifying 2020 case that prosecutors described as one of the most disturbing acts of parental violence in recent memory. The surviving younger children were allegedly forced to view the decapitated bodies of their siblings before being locked in their rooms without food.
Overview of the Incident
According to authorities, 39-year-old Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr. and 48-year-old Natalie Sumiko Brothwell were found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for killing 12-year-old Maurice Taylor Jr. and 13-year-old Maliaka Taylor. The killings occurred on Nov. 29, 2020, inside the family’s home in Lancaster, California.
The parents were also convicted of two counts of felony child abuse, stemming from the treatment of their two surviving sons, ages 8 and 9 at the time.
How the Events Unfolded
Investigators testified that Taylor fatally stabbed both of his older children before decapitating them in separate bedrooms. Their bodies were kept inside the home for five days. During this period, prosecutors said the couple repeatedly “forced” the younger boys to look at the mutilated remains of their siblings.
After the forced viewings, the boys were locked in their rooms without food for several days, leaving them traumatized and malnourished.
Details from Police and Officials
Authorities were first alerted to something being wrong when Taylor, a Zoom personal trainer, failed to show up for virtual training sessions. His clients feared a gas leak at the home and asked officials to conduct a welfare check…