A mother and her boyfriend were charged today with the murder and torture of her 10-year-old son who died last week after he was found unresponsive, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

Kareem Ernesto Leiva (dob 12/23/85) and Heather Maxine Barron (dob 9/29/89) were each charged in case MA074159 with one count of murder and torture. Barron faces an additional count of child abuse, while Leiva is charged with one count of assault on a child causing death.

Both defendants are expected to be arraigned today in Department A01 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Antelope Valley Branch.

Deputy District Attorneys Jon Hatami of the Family Violence Division, Complex Child Abuse Section, and Saeed Teymouri of the Family Violence Division are prosecuting the case.

On June 20, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies responded to a home in the 1100 block of East Avenue K in Lancaster. Anthony A. was taken to a hospital where he died the following day.

The defendants are accused of torturing the boy in the days leading up to his death, prosecutors said.

If convicted as charged, Barron faces a possible maximum sentence of 22 years to life in state prison, while Leiva faces 32 years to life in prison.

The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide and Special Victims bureaus.

Los Angeles District Attorney / case MA074159 / June 29, 2018