Modesto stabbing leaves 2 women, child dead; suspect found hiding in nearby home

Two women and an infant died after they were stabbed in an incident that forced students at a Modesto school to be relocated on Thursday morning, police said.

Around 9:20 a.m., officers responded to Monterey Avenue and Thrasher Avenue for a report of a disturbance. Officers said they found 23-year-old Fabiola Gonzalez-Nunez suffering from multiple stab wounds. She died at the scene. 

Police said they then searched a home and found 54-year-old Maria Sylvia Nunez-Villalobos and a 2-week-old child suffering from apparent stab wounds. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and the infant was taken to a hospital, where they were later pronounced dead, police said. 

Another child, who police said is 3 years old, was found inside the home and taken to a hospital for evaluation and clearance.

Police established a perimeter and gained information that led them to believe a suspect was in the area. 

Orville Wright Elementary was placed the school on lockdown as a precaution. The students and staff were then relocated by bus to La Loma Junior High School, where they were reunited with their families. 

Police announced Thursday evening that the suspect, 28-year-old Joaquin Escoto, was later found hiding in a nearby home and taken into custody. Escoto, a Mexican national, was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail for three counts of murder, special circumstance enhancements, and for an outstanding warrant related to a prior DUI case.

Modesto police said detectives became aware of information indicating Escoto may have been previously deported from the United States.  

According to police, Nunez-Villalobos was Gonzalez-Nunez's mother and Gonzalez-Nunez was the mother of the infant. Police added that Escoto and Gonzalez-Nunez are the parents of the 3-year-old, who child protective service assumed custody of. 

It's believed that Gonzalez-Nunez and Escoto were in a relationship, but the exact nature of the relationship is under investigation, police said.

Police do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.