June 9, 2026 – San Benito County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on June 7, 2026, at 12:14 A.M. (0014 hours), Deputies from the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a “baby not breathing” call at 107 The Alameda in the City of San Juan Bautista.

Upon arrival, Deputy Sheriffs learned of the following:

A 34-year-old female was woken up to her boyfriend, Adrian LUJAN, attempting to strangle her.

She was able to “fight him off” and he fled the apartment in a Ford Fusion. A 4-year-old child was present when the attack occurred. The female was unable to locate her two-year-old son in the bed and exited her room to find him on the couch. The baby was blue colored and appeared unconscious.

Medics and Deputy Sheriffs arrived, and CPR was initiated on the child who was not breathing and not alert. He was transported to Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. Evidence on the child would tend to support he had been strangled to death.

A manhunt was initiated by our office for LUJAN, and with the help of FLOCK Cameras, officers and deputies in Merced County located him, pursued him, and arrested him after a physical encounter. He returned to our county where Detectives obtained a confession from him in the murder of his child. Motive has yet to be established.

Our office would like to thank the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office, our allied Merced County Partners and the California Highway Patrol for their attention to this case.

We mourn the loss of this beautiful child and will pursue justice for him and his family.

Source & photo: San Benito County Sheriff’s Office