A 14-year-old Claremont boy has been transferred to Los Padrinos Juvenile Facility in Downey after being arrested Wednesday evening for the stabbing death of his 15-year-old sister Aspen Geurts.

The boy is being held at the facility without bail. He will be arraigned later today on charges of murder, according to Lieutenant Mike Ciszek of the Claremont Police Department.

This is the first murder in Claremont since 2009.

Officers were called to a home on the 300 block of Andover Street at approximately 5:07 p.m. after receiving reports of

a stabbing, according to police. When officers and paramedics arrived, they attempted to revive the victim, who was located in the back yard of the home. Suffering from multiple stab wounds, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The boy, determined later to be the brother of the victim, was seen walking away from the home with the weapon in his possession. A third sibling and the parents were not at home at the time, police said.

He was arrested by Claremont police on suspicion of murder and was held at the Claremont jail until he was transferred to Los Padrinos, Lt. Ciszek said.

According to an email sent out by Claremont High School principal Brett O’Connor, the deceased student and the brother who was arrested had attended Chaparral Elementary and El Roble Intermediate School. Neither was currently enrolled at Claremont High School, however, a third sibling currently attends CHS, Mr. O’Connor explained.

“Because so many of our students know the family involved, we may have some shocked and grieving students at CHS today,” he wrote. “We will have extra counselors on campus for the next few days to support students and faculty.” 

Mr. O’Connor asked parents, staff and community members to be aware that kids express grief in many different ways. It is not uncommon for teenagers to exhibit physical complaints, poor concentration, eating and sleeping difficulties, increased irritability, emotional numbing and muscle tension, he said.

Cantor Paul Buch of Temple Beth Israel reached out to the community to say that clergy members of the Claremont Interfaith Council have connected with the police department and CUSD and are available to counsel and support those touched by this tragedy. He can be reached at cantor@tb

ipomona.org or by calling (909) 626-6937.

Mr. O’Connor encourages parents and teachers to keep a closer eye on our kids to be sure they are appropriately managing grief.

“In the next few days and weeks, please pay attention to any change in your student’s behavior,” Mr. O’Connor suggested. “Additionally, allow your student to express their feelings without judgment. If you feel your student needs to speak to someone at CHS, please notify their guidance counselor. It is important that the entire community pull together during this difficult time.”

—Matthew Bramlett
news@claremont-courier.com