Family Members Of Boy, 8, Found Dead In Cooler Deny Murder And Torture Charges

The mother and grandmother of an 8-year-old boy who was found dead inside a cooler in a Lynwood apartment pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder, torture and child abuse charges.

The mother, Destiny Harrison, 25, and grandmother, Ana Carcamo Zarceno, 45, both entered their pleas in a Compton courtroom Thursday morning.

Harrison, Zarceno and the boy's father, Daniel Monzon, 25, are all charged with murder, torture and child abuse resulting in death, with an allegation of willful harm resulting in death. Monzon and Zarceno are also charged with being an accessory after the fact.

Monzon is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

All three remain jailed in lieu of $2 million each and have been ordered not to have any contact with three other children who lived in the house.

Prosecutors claim the boy — identified only as Isaiah H — was abused by his mother, father and grandmother over "a long period of time."

"The boy succumbed to his injuries early on Oct. 24 and his body was found days later in a cooler filled with ice," the DA's office said in a statement.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies were contacted several days later by someone at the scene who reported that the child was unresponsive and conducted a welfare check at the apartment.

The boy's siblings — ages 16, 14 and 9 months old — were at the scene when authorities responded. They were taken into protective custody by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

City News Service contributed to this report.