A 2-year-old child died in last month’s floods. Now Barstow police have arrested the father on murder charges.

Floodwaters swept away a car carrying two-year-old boy Xavier Padilla Aguilera and his father during heavy rains last month, filling the streets of Barstow with mud and rainwater after flooding separated the two men during a downpour.

The boy’s body was found hours later in a San Bernardino County flood control channel. The Barstow Police Department expressed its condolences to the family in a statement, confirming the child’s death and calling it a “tragedy.”

But on Tuesday, police announced they had arrested the boy’s father, Brandon Padilla-Aguilera, on suspicion of murder.

Barstow police officials have not released many details about the case or what led detectives to suspect foul play in the 2-year-old’s death. However, investigators with the Barstow Police Department continued to investigate Xavier’s death after the floodwaters receded, according to a statement.

“During the month-long investigation, detectives spoke to witnesses and collected evidence,” a police statement said. “Based on the evidence obtained, detectives issued a warrant for his arrest.”

During the Sept. 18 storm, emergency crews were called around 7:14 p.m. to investigate a vehicle that had been swept away by floodwaters in the 24000 block of West Main Street in Barstow.

Officials said the vehicle was swamped by rising water and swept into a washout north of West Main Street.

Padilla Aguilera and his son reportedly got out of the car but were separated at some point.

Padilla-Aguilera was eventually found on an island created by floodwaters, but emergency crews continued to search for more than 20 hours before finding the 2-year-old boy.

Padilla-Aguilera was taken into custody Friday. Officials have released no details about his possible role in the child’s death.

Barstow police referred questions about the case to a Facebook post about the arrest.

County jail records show Padilla-Aguilera was booked on suspicion of murder and her bail was set at $1 million.