“Girls are going to Heaven and I’m going to Hell to wait for you,” he texted their mother in June 2020
cbs8sandiego/YouTube, GoFundMe
Robert Brians in mugshot (left) admitted to driving off a cliff with his twin girls (right) in 2020.
A father who purposefully drove off a California cliff into the Pacific Ocean in his pick-up truck with his twin toddler girls inside has been sentenced to serve 31 years in prison.
In August, Robert Brians, 51, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder, child abuse, kidnapping, domestic violence and burglary in connection to the 2020 incident, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
Brians was “in a fit [of] rage amid a divorce and custody dispute,” when he intentionally drove off Sunset Cliffs, per a press release by prosecutors, following his Friday, Sept. 20 sentencing.
The father had taken the two-year-olds out of his parents home in the middle of the night “intent on killing the girls and himself,” according to prosecutors.
Related: Twin Girls, 2, Rescued by ‘Heroic’ Officer After Their Father Drives Them Off Cliff
“Attempting to kill your innocent children to hurt your spouse is beyond despicable,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said in the statement, calling the incident an “unspeakable act,” and adding: “I am grateful to first responders who found this defendant’s whereabouts and were able to save the young girls from drowning.”
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The girls’ mother, Jenna Brians, testified at a 2021 hearing that she had texted her estranged husband trying to determine the twins’ whereabouts, per prosecutors.
Shortly before the incident, prosecutors say that Brians FaceTimed the mom to say goodbye. In communication he told her that he planned to drive their girls off a cliff.
“I told you, girls are going to Heaven and I’m going to Hell to wait for you,” he texted her, per prosecutors.
Jenna called law enforcement for help around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, June 13, 2020, according to a GoFundMe, which detailed the incident. Then, she called the perpetrator back so police could pinpoint his location, the GoFundMe states.
Within minutes, officers came upon the truck, which hurtled over the cliff, per the GoFundMe account, which noted that medics arrived quickly at the scene.
At Friday’s sentencing, the toddler’s mother said the girls – who survived – were “thriving,” adding, per CBS 8: “I’m thankful that Robert is taking responsibility for his wrongs and is ready to serve his time. This has been a missing step towards healing for all of us.”
Brians spoke briefly, per the outlet, thanking emergency responders for rescuing his girls, adding: “I love my babies and I’m sorry.”
As of Thursday afternoon, Sept. 26, Brians was not registered in online records as a California prisoner. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s inquiry about his transfer from jail.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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