UPDATE: Formal murder charges filed in deadly Salinas child abuse case

UPDATE 12/21/2015 12:10 PM: Formal murder charges have been filed against Tami Hunstman and Gonzalo Curiel in the deaths of two young children by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

According to the criminal complaint, Assistant District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni filed charges against both suspects on Friday.

Huntsman and Curiel face two counts of willful, deliberate and premeditated murder, with special allegations of torture and multiple murder and two counts of torture in the deaths of 3-year-old Delylah Tara and 6-year-old Shaun Tara.

They also face two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime and one count of child abuse, including a special allegation of great bodily injury, for the case involving a 9-year-old girl who survived.

Curiel, 17, is being tried as an adult. Huntsman could face the death penalty.

PREVIOUS STORY: The Salinas Police Department and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office held a press conference Thursday on the deadly child abuse case that began in Salinas.

Charges of first degree murder and torture against Tami Huntsman, 39, and Gonzalo Curiel, 17, are expected soon in the deaths of two small children found in a plastic container in a Redding storage facility. Curiel will be tried as an adult. Both could be eligible for the death penalty because of special circumstances surrounding the case. Authorities are working to issue arrest warrants for the suspects.

“I cannot give you any exact date when that will occur,” said Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo, “but my guess is that we hope to have these charges filed if not by tomorrow, then hopefully by the beginning of the week, Monday, then we would go through that process again, which will take some time.”

Huntsman is currently in the Plumas County Jail, while Curiel is being held at a youth facility in Butte County. The trial will take place in Monterey County since this is where authorities believe the crimes originated.

Flippo said he’s confident the two children are Delylah, 3, and Shaun Tara, 6, but the coroner has not yet positively identified the bodies. Following an autopsy, it was determined the two died as a result of ongoing physical abuse. Authorities say the abuse started in Salinas, and believe the children were killed here also.

“We feel very comfortable that we would be able to prove that the children were actually killed in Salinas,” Flippo said.

Salinas Police Chief Kelly McMillin called it one of the worst cases he’s ever seen.

“It was terrible. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve never seen such abuse,” said McMillin.

Huntsman and Curiel also face additional charges of torture and causing great bodily harm to a 9-year old girl, the older sister of Delylah and Shaun. Police said they found her starving and hurt in a car in Quincy on December 11.

Flippo said the girl is recovering at a hospital, but also revealed she’s not the only survivor. He said up to four other children may have been abused by Huntsman and Curiel. Flippo said Huntsman was caring for the Tara children, her nieces and nephew, plus her own two biological children, and a 15-year-old.

During the press conference, officials had some difficulty answering questions about the children and family relationships, and could not confirm if Huntsman had legal custody.

“Right off the bat, I’d say Ms. Huntsman failed these folks. She is the failure and the 17-year-old, if he has any, had any supervision, care or responsibility failed these children. That’s your primary point of failure,” said McMillin.

During the conference, Salinas Police also revealed more information on how the investigation unfolded.

Timeline:

On Friday, Dec. 11, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Quincy to check on a nine-year-old girl. Deputies began a child neglect investigation and arrested Huntsman and Curiel for abusing the girl. Huntsman and Curiel were booked into the Plumas County Jail for felony child abuse, torture and mayhem.

Over the weekend, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Salinas Police Department for help in the investigation because Huntsman and Curiel were living in East Salinas. They specifically wanted to know the whereabouts of the nine-year-old’s two younger siblings,3-year-old Delylah Tara and 6-year-old Shaun Tara.

Salinas Police did a welfare check at the home on Fremont Street and no one was inside. It wasn’t the first time they’ve responded there. Within the last six months, the Salinas Police Department received two anonymous calls about abuse.

“They discovered one child asleep, a couple of children doing homework. Did not see any overt signs of abuse. Nothing that led them to take any further action in terms of a criminal investigation or CPS, Child Protective Services placement,” said McMillin.

Officers reported Delylah and Shaun as missing. Later that day, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office relayed to Salinas Police that Redding Police found two dead children in a plastic container in a storage unit. Redding Police say Curiel was the one who led them to the storage unit.

On Thursday, Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo said the two children are Delylah and Shaun. Following an autopsy on the two children, it was determined the two died as a result of ongoing physical abuse that started in Salinas.