Madera parents accused of murder deny any wrongdoing in son’s disappearance, lawyer says
The Madera parents suspected of killing their 2-year-old son deny they had anything to do with the child’s death, their lawyer said Friday.
Briseida G. Sran and Sukhjinder Sran were arrested at 7:12 a.m. at a home in the 3300 block of Winter Way in Madera, nine days after their son, Thaddeus Sran, was reported missing.
The remains of a small child believed to be Thaddeus were found Thursday morning in a farmland area west of Madera. The child last was seen alive late on July 14 at a home in the 800 block of C Street in Madera.
Police have declined to comment on any suspected cause of death or any possible motives for the disappearance and alleged slaying. Lawson confirmed the remains police recovered this week “were burned.” An autopsy was scheduled Friday afternoon.
Attorney Roger T. Nuttall described the Madera couple as loving parents, who are shocked they are considered suspects. Nuttall talked with Sukhjinder Sran on Friday from jail.
“He is very distraught,” he said. “I told him, you have to hang on.”
Nuttall told The Bee that Briseida was taken to a local hospital after her arrest to get checked out. He said she is pregnant and due to give birth in a few weeks.
Nuttall said he got a brief call from Sukhjinder soon after he got booked at the Madera jail, and will talk to him Monday. He said he knew very little at this point.
Nuttall, a veteran defense attorney, said he firmly believes his clients had nothing to do with their child’s disappearance.
“I am unaware of any evidence that truly supports the charge that they have been arrested for,” he said. “I did not expect this.”
Nuttall said he held a news conference, in part, to dispel claims from the Madera Police Department that the Srans were not cooperating with investigators. He said that wasn’t true.
“Their family was getting death threats based upon the media having attributed that to law enforcement,” he said.
Madera Police Lt. Josiah Arnold said the couple’s three other children were taken into the custody of Child Protective Services, but couldn’t provide more details about the children.
Nuttall has known the family for several years. He represented them in 2015 when they were investigated for the sudden death of their infant child. Nuttall said the parents were cleared in the child’s death.
“The baby was not very healthy and was in a very delicate condition,” he said.
The couple remained in custody late Friday. It was unclear whether bail amounts had been set.
This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 6:30 PM.
