According to the Merced Police Department, officers responded to the 300 block of Brookdale Drive around 1:30 p.m. to conduct a welfare check. After no one answered the door, officers forced entry into the apartment, and found an adult woman deceased.
Police say the victim was found with multiple lacerations.
Detectives launched a crime scene investigation and identified the victim's daughter, Selena Bass-Vasquez, as the primary suspect. Investigators say Bass-Vasquez fled the scene with her 1-year-old son in the victim's vehicle.
Police issued a Be On the Look Out (BOLO) alert for the suspect and the vehicle. A member of the public located the vehicle at a local park and notified law enforcement.
Officers found Bass-Vasquez and her 1-year-old son, unharmed, at the scene. They took Bass-Vasquez into custody and called Child Protective Services to ensure the child's safety.
Bass-Vasquez was booked into the Merced County Jail for murder.
The identity of the victim has not been released to preserve privacy. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Merced Police Department.