In what is reportedly the first fentanyl murder case involving a child’s death in Los Angeles County, the father of a toddler is battling for justice in court.

When Justin Bulley was buried, he was only 17 months old. In February of last year, he took fentanyl at his mother’s house in Lancaster.

Both the grandfather, Jessie Darthard, and the child’s mother, Jessica Darthard, are accused of murder in connection with the boy’s passing. The Rodcliff Secret Daniel, a DCFS visitation monitor, was also accused of intentionally harming or killing a kid.

This is the first fentanyl case in Los Angeles County where murder charges have been brought in connection with the death of a child.

Montise Bulley, the child’s father, appeared in court on Monday for the initial hearing.

Being in court after his boy’s untimely death is really difficult, he told Eyewitness News.

“It struck me in the same manner as before. It’s unexpected… I wonder, “Why am I here?” However, I understand my purpose here, as I am my son’s sole voice,” he remarked.

He said that the thing that hurts the most is that he was working to get custody of his son. However, he contends that the system simply granted his son visiting privileges and placed him with his mother. He now claims that he will never again see his son.

“The whole situation has just got me confused… lost, I’ll say.”

According to Linda Burton, her son’s two children with Jessica Darthhard are devastated by the terrible death of their younger brother.

“My granddaughter used to play with and cradle the baby. Their younger sibling is missed. “They don’t get it,” Burton remarked.

It is anticipated that the preliminary hearing would go on for a few more days. After that, the judge will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to hold a trial.

You might be interested in reading: Mauricio Manfred Quintanilla

Los Angeles officials said Monday that violent crimes, such as robberies, aggravated assaults, and homicides, had decreased throughout the city.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell and Mayor Karen Bass gave a press conference to release the city’s 2024 end-of-year crime figures.

“Any crime is unacceptable to us, and we know that everyone standing here today knows that we must continue to approach this issue with urgency and precision,” Bass continued.

The data shows a 19% decrease in shooting victims and a 14% decrease in killings.

Compared to 2023, homicides dropped 14% (-47) in 2024.

The Los Angeles Police Department saw a drop in homicides in three of its four geographic bureaus.

The LAPD Operations-Valley Bureau experienced the biggest drop, with 28% fewer homicides in 2024 than the previous year.

LAPD claimed a 40% drop in homicides in communities that adopted the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and the Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) program.

The number of individuals shot dropped by 19% (-225).
“The recent decline in shooting victims can be attributed in part to the LAPD’s proactive measures and community partnership aimed at preventing Person Crimes,” the city stated in a statement.

According to the data, 790 ghost guns were among the 7,634 illegal firearms that were collected.
According to the research, person crimes in the city are similar to what are known as violent crimes. In 2023, there were 2,586 less homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault crimes (30,574 person/violent crimes).

The number of aggravated assault crimes dropped by -2,371 (20,042 in 2023)

There were 97 fewer rapes in 2023 (1,505 rapes in 2023).

With 8,637 offenses, robberies stayed constant (8,696 robberies in 2023)

You might be interested in reading: Mauricio Manfred Quintanilla 

On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a new state website that will track funding for homelessness initiatives and provide information on how each county is doing in addressing housing, behavioral health, and homelessness issues.

Additionally, the website displays which counties meet the requirements set forth by the state.

According to the website, the following communities in Los Angeles County are “out of compliance”: Artesia, Carson, Commerce, Compton, Hidden Hills, Irwindale, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Palos Verdes Estates, San Marino, Vernon, West Covina, and Norwalk.

“Everyone in our country ought to have a place to call home. We anticipate quick fixes, not justifications, as we continue to assist our communities in combating homelessness. There is still more work to be done, even though we are happy with the strides many communities have made in addressing the homelessness epidemic, Newsom said in a statement.

Newsom unveiled the new website along with $118.7 million in funds to help municipalities deal with encampments by building new shelters and providing support. Additionally, three other grants totaling $56.4 million will be awarded to Los Angeles to handle three encampments close to the LA River, Hollywood Boulevard, and the 10 Freeway.

Newsom signed an executive order last July that permitted state and municipal officials to destroy homeless encampments, among other things.

Following a Supreme Court ruling in late June that gave officials the power to dismantle the camps and give tickets to individuals camping in public in Grants Pass, Oregon, the executive order was issued. At the time, some local officials praised the executive order, while others, such as Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, referred to the action as “unfortunate.”

Although Newsom cannot compel local officials to take action, his administration can exert pressure by denying counties and cities funding.

You might be interested in reading: Mauricio Manfred Quintanilla 

Officials have identified the person found dead inside the Tesla Cybertruck that detonated outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day as a US Army soldier from Colorado, who committed himself in the vehicle prior to the explosion.

“The individual had sustained a gunshot wound to the head prior to the detonation of the vehicle,” Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters at a press conference on Thursday, citing coroner’s findings.

Police identified the Cybertruck driver as Matthew Livelsberger, an active duty army soldier from Colorado Springs who acted alone. Seven other persons were injured when the Cybertruck exploded.

The explosion occurred on the same day as a devastating car-ramming incident in the southern city of New Orleans, which killed at least 15 people, including the suspect.

At least 35 other individuals were hurt in the incident, according to an official estimate released on Thursday. The incident is being investigated as a terrorist attack, with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) purportedly discovered in coolers placed on the pavement near the crime scene.