A convicted felon was arrested on suspicion of being possesion of a firearm is facing additional charges related to child abuse.
After an incident involving the suspect’s mother and stepfather, deputies from the Sheriff’s Morongo Basin station responded to a residence at a house in the 58000 block of Buena Vista Ave in Yucca Valley on Sunday morning (March 31).
Deputies report that the suspect, Austen Burke, 26, had gotten into an argument with his family about firearms. They report finding him in the driveway of the residence, and took him into custody. Burke is a felon convicted of burglary, and prohibited from possessing weapons. He was arrested in 2020 and 2022 on suspicion of possessing weapons.
Information from the Sheriff’s department indicates that Burke was arrested on Sunday for investigation into an additional count of serious child abuse, though details of this incident are not available in public records. Z107.7 has reached out to the Sheriff’s Department regarding the status of the victim or victims.
Austen Burke was arrested on suspicion of child abuse with the possibility of great bodily injuriy or death, and three counts related to weapons possession. He was booked in the West Valley Detention Center on $60,000 bail.
