'Hands tied by the law': Father's desperate attempts to intervene before ex-partner killed their children 14 Apr, 2021 01:10 AM 5 minutes to read By: Stefanie Dazio US father Erik Denton was supposed to see his three young children last Sunday, the one day every other week that he was allowed to be with them. Three-year-old Joanna, her 2-year-old brother, Terry, and 6-month-old sister, Sierra, had been staying with their mother — Denton's ex-girlfriend — in Los Angeles. Fearful for their safety, their father had petitioned the court for custody on March 1, alleging their mother, Liliana Carrillo, was delusional and had taken the kids and refused to tell him where they were.