The mother of the two children found at the bottom of a swimming pool in south Bakersfield Wednesday, told 17 News why she left the children in her roommates' care. Candiace Tucker says she trusted her long-time friend Joshua Valenzuela and her new roommate Colt Powers to watch her two boys, but after news of her sons' death, Tucker says she wants to see the two men in jail.
"They're still alive, they're still breathing," Tucker said referring to Powers and Valenzuela. "My babies don't have a breath."
Four-year-old Marcus Nevaeh Tucker and one-year-old Micah Emmanuel Tucker were being watched by Tucker's two roommates at Valenzuela's foster parents' home on Dustin Road. Now, Tucker wants the two men to pay for what she calls "negligence."
"They need to go to jail. And my friend (joshua Valenzuela), I loved him to death but my two babies are gone," Tucker said.
Tucker says she knew Valenzuela for about ten years and had just started living with him and his friend Colt Powers three weeks ago. Valenzuela was sleeping inside and Powers said he was in the bathroom when the children got out of the house, according to police.
Tucker's sister Michele Criddle believes four-year-old Nevaeh was trying to save his little brother after he jumped in the pool.
"My nephew, I know he went out like a hero," Criddle said through tears. "He did if that's what he tried to do."
Police say 21-year-old Powers tried to save the two children.
"He pulled both of them out of the pool, called 9-1-1 and fire was giving them instructions on what to do and he was trying to resuscitate the children as police arrived.
However, it was too late. Both boys died at local hospitals. Valenzuela and Colt were interviewed by police after the incident. The case is now being sent to the District Attorney's Office for further investigation.
There is a fund set up at Kern Schools Federal credit union to help Candiace Tucker pay for her children's funeral. If you would like to help, checks must be made payable to "the Tucker funeral expense fund." Checks can be mailed to Kern Schools Federal Credit Union at P.O. Box 9506, Bakersfield, CA 93389. The account number is 2471890.
