Intruder Injures Children in Home Invasion Before Critically Stabbing Himself

A man broke into a Pasadena home and injured two children before critically wounding himself early Sunday morning, police said.

At approximately 6:40 a.m., officers responded to reports of a bloodied man lying in the intersection of El Molino Avenue and Villa Street, according to Pasadena Police Lieutenant Tim Bundy.

 The man, later identified by authorities as 26-year-old Nathaniel Rivas of Pasadena, was found with multiple stab wounds and transported to a local hospital in critical condition, Bundy said.

Shortly after, police received another call about an intruder attempting  to stab occupants at a residence in the 600 block of East Villa Street, said Bundy.

According to Bundy upon arrival, officers determined the two incidents were related.

At the home, officers encountered three juveniles who provided the following account: The suspect, now identified by police as Rivas, entered the unlocked residence while the children were alone without adult supervision. Rivas either brought a large knife or obtained one from the home, Bundy said.

The children—a 13-year-old girl, an 8-year-old boy, and a 5-year-old boy—were awoken separately by the intruder. 

Rivas allegedly held the children at knifepoint and threatened multiple times to kill them while demanding a lighter or matches, Bundy said.

During the incident, two of the children received minor wounds. The 8-year-old boy sustained a small puncture wound to his shoulder, while the 5-year-old suffered a minor cut on one of his triceps, Bundy said. 

One child was also choked by the suspect, said Bundy.

According to Bundy the juveniles eventually managed to barricade themselves in a bedroom while Rivas went to the kitchen.

He reportedly began stabbing himself multiple times for unknown reasons before leaving the residence and collapsing in the intersection where he was initially found by police.

Rivas was in custody at the hospital, facing charges of attempted homicide and additional felony counts, Bundy said. 

His condition had reportedly stabilized. The injured children were treated at the scene,

A female adult, identified as the children’s grandmother, was also arrested on suspicion of child endangerment for leaving the minors unsupervised with the door unlocked, Bundy said.

The investigation is ongoing, and detectives are handling the case. 

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241 or report information anonymously by contacting “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) via your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile App on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org