Two defendants in Ceres child endangerment case appear in court

Two defendants arrested when Ceres police found seven children inside a filthy, cockroach-infested one-bedroom apartment asked a judge in court on Thursday to be released on their own recognizance.

“We’ve got kids,” Suzanne Luna pleaded when the judge denied her request. Her hands were clasped, tears running down cheeks.

Luna appeared with her co-defendant and boyfriend, Jose Garcia; both were in custody. Their 2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son were taken by Child Protective Services on Tuesday.

The third defendant in the case and mother of the other five children, Amy Luna, bailed out of jail, so she won’t be arraigned until next month.

Ceres police found the children in a one-bedroom apartment filled with trash, animal feces and infested with cockroaches.

Officers were called there for a report that Garcia and Suzanne Luna were fighting in front of the apartment in the 1900 block of Darrah Street. The two were there visiting Suzanne Luna’s sister, Amy.

They’d gone inside the apartment by the time officers arrived, and Amy Luna allegedly shoved an officer in an effort to prevent him from entering.

Officers found the children sleeping on a dirty couch that had fresh vomit on it. There was no food in the home. All the dishes were dirty and the only running water was in the bathtub, which was filled with clothes. Amy Luna’s oldest daughter told officers she only ate when she was at school.

Amy Luna’s five children were also taken by CPS. Ceres police originally reported all seven of the children were Amy Luna’s, but the criminal complaint indicates two of them are the children of her sister, Suzanne Luna.

Garcia and Suzanne Luna are charged with two counts of child endangerment. Amy Luna is charged with five counts of child endangerment and resisting arrest.

In court on Wednesday Suzanne Luna and Garcia both told Judge John Whiteside they couldn’t afford a lawyer and needed to have a public defender appointed, then asked that they be released on their own recognizance.

“I’ve been off probation for three or four years. I’ve been doing good,” Garcia said. “I’m a good dad.”

Suzanne Luna said she’d been living in a homeless shelter but she had a place she could stay. Her sister-in-law was in court and had hoped to tell the judge Luna could stay with her but was not allowed to speak.

Whiteside told Luna, “Ma’am, you were homeless at the time (of your arrest). I have no good reason to believe you wouldn’t be homeless again.”

He told Garcia his record “isn’t exactly spotless” and denied an own recognizance release for both. Their bails remain at $50,000.

Standing at opposite sides of the courtroom, the couple exchanged “I love yous” before being escorted out by bailiffs.

They will return to court Wednesday for a pretrial hearing and bail review.

Amy Luna will be arraigned on March 4.

The Ceres Police Department is accepting donations of gently used clothing or toys to give to the seven children, who range in age from 1 to 8. The clothing can be dropped off at the Ceres Police Department to the attention of Sgt. Jose Berber. The department is at 2727 Third St. in Ceres.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Two defendants in Ceres child endangerment case appear in court."