A missing mother in Northern California was found dead near a hiking trail in the mountains on Sunday. The body of Lizbeth Arceo Sedano, 25, was discovered around 9:40 a.m. near Eureka Canyon Road and Grizzly Flat Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to the call after Sedano had been reported missing in Watsonville a day earlier. The investigation revealed that Sedano's partner, Joshua Gonzalez, had threatened their 3-year-old daughter with a knife, prompting the family to report Sedano missing.
Gonzalez had called the Watsonville Police Department and made threats outside the police station around 9:20 p.m. on Saturday. When a responding officer confronted Gonzalez, he refused to drop the knife and charged at the officer, leading to the officer firing shots at Gonzalez.
Gonzalez sustained injuries and was transported to an out-of-county trauma center, where he is currently in stable condition. Fortunately, the 3-year-old child was unharmed and is now under the care of family members.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office stated that the cause and manner of Sedano's death will be determined by their Forensic Pathologist, and detectives will continue to investigate the case.
