In a harrowing case out of California, a mother and father have been found guilty of a gruesome crime that shocked the community. On Tuesday, a jury convicted Natalie Sumiko Brothwell, 48, and Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr., 39, of the heinous murders of their children. Their 13-year-old daughter, Maliaka, and 12-year-old son, Maurice, were fatally stabbed and decapitated within their Lancaster home on November 29, 2020, as confirmed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The chilling details of the case extend beyond the murders. The couple forced their two surviving children, then aged 8 and 9, to witness the aftermath of the tragedy, leaving them traumatized. The Los Angeles County District Attorney, Nathan J. Hochman, described the incident as “a monstrous act of cruelty that shattered an entire family.” He emphasized the grave impact, stating, “Two innocent children were brutally murdered, and their young brothers were left to live through unimaginable horror.”

The gruesome discovery was made five days after the crime when firefighters responded to a report of a possible gas leak at the residence, as reported by FOX11 Los Angeles. Upon entering the home, they found the bodies alongside Brothwell, Taylor, and the couple’s two surviving sons.

On November 18, 2025, Natalie Sumiko Brothwell was formally convicted of two felony counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and two felony counts of child abuse. This case, with its deeply disturbing details, continues to reverberate through the community, underscoring the importance of protecting the most vulnerable among us.

Natalie Sumiko Brothwell, 48, was convicted of two felony counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and two felony counts of child abuse on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (Pima County Sheriff’s Office)

Prosecutors said that after Brothwell and Taylor committed the murders, they forced the younger boys to view their siblings’ decapitated bodies and then confined them to their bedrooms without food for days.

Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr., 39, was convicted of two felony counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and two felony counts of child abuse on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (Youtube/ Law&Crime Network)

Prosecutors have not shared an update on the status of the two surviving siblings.

Brothwell and Taylor were each convicted of two felony counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and two felony counts of child abuse.

The two are facing life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with a consecutive sentence of six years and four months. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman called the murders of the two children “a monstrous act of cruelty.”  (Mario Tama/Getty Images, File)

“The jury’s verdict delivers justice for these victims and sends a powerful message: Those who commit such evil acts will be held fully accountable,” Hochman said.