Reseda father Erick Denton has filed a motion seeking psychological records about Liliana Carrillo, the woman who drowned their three children in their Reseda apartment in 2021. Denton argues the records are critical to his ongoing civil lawsuit against the LAPD.
** father whose three young children were drowned by their mother in their apartment in 2021, has filed a new legal motion seeking court-ordered release of psychological records tied to the killer's mental state.
Denton's request was filed Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. He is asking a judge to compel psychologist Nichole M. Vienna to produce documents from her evaluation of Liliana Carrillo, his estranged wife.
According to court filings obtained by the New York Post, Vienna's conclusions were already referenced during the criminal trial. Psychiatrist David S. Rad cited Vienna's findings in his own report, noting that Vienna concluded Carrillo suffered from mental illness, racing thoughts, and delusions.
"I drowned them," Carrillo told reporters in a jailhouse interview after the killings. "I did it as softly … I don't know how to explain it, but, um, I hugged them and I kissed them and I was apologizing the whole time. I love my kids."
Carrillo drowned her three children inside their Reseda apartment in April 2021. The victims were Joanna, age 3, Terry, age 2, and Sierra, age 6 months.
Carrillo claimed she believed the children faced abuse and sexual assault if they remained alive. She told reporters she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time. Court records, however, showed she had been self-medicating with cannabis and had a history of anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
"I wasn't about to hand my children off to be further abused," Carrillo said.
Carrillo was found not guilty by reason of insanity in October 2024. In January 2025, she was committed to a state hospital and ordered to serve 75 years to life.
Denton is also pursuing a separate civil lawsuit against members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The complaint alleges that officers failed to properly respond to warning signs of Carrillo's deteriorating mental health. Denton's attorneys say authorities neglected to share critical information with county social workers.
Denton's legal team argues that Vienna's records should be released because her conclusions were already disclosed in open court during the criminal proceedings. They contend the documents are no longer protected by confidentiality or privilege.
Vienna has refused to release the records, citing that they contain sensitive information.
Captain Mike Bland of the LAPD Media Relations Division previously stated that use-of-force investigations can take up to a year to complete. Denton's civil case and this motion for records are part of an ongoing legal battle that will determine whether additional evidence about Carrillo's mental state becomes public.
The decision on whether Vienna must turn over her records rests with the Los Angeles County Superior Court judge assigned to the case.
This article was generated with AI assistance.