Kids Arrested in Family Slaying

Thursday, July 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PICO RIVERA, Calif. (AP) â€” A boy and girl were arrested for investigation of murder in the killing of four family members who were knifed to death as they slept, officials said Thursday.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators declined to release any further details, including the exact ages of the suspects. They said only that the two were booked for investigation of murder for the slayings of Richard Flores, 42; his 17-year-old son, Richard Jr.; 10-year-old son, Matthew; and 13-year-old daughter, Sylvia.

The two juveniles were arrested Wednesday evening, officials said.

Authorities have said the four victims were killed Friday morning by a knife-wielding assailant who slipped into the Flores home as the family slept.

Flores' 39-year-old-wife, Sylvia, was wounded and remains hospitalized. Three other children who were in other rooms when the attacks happened were not hurt.

The slayings rocked Pico Rivera, where the family was well known for participation in youth sports and other community activities. A memorial service brought out more than a thousand mourners, and one friend called the victims ``the ideal picture of the Norman Rockwell family.''

Mrs. Flores told authorities she awoke to find a young man wearing a blue bandanna stabbing her husband and herself but could not identify him in the darkness.

Nothing appeared to be taken from the home and there were no signs of forced entry. The killings occurred during a heat wave, and many windows had been left open overnight.