SAN DIEGO, CA – A 51-year-old man, Robert Brians, has been sentenced to 31 years in state prison for driving his truck off Sunset Cliffs, with his twin toddlers inside the vehicle. The incident occurred on June 13, 2020, after Brians kidnapped his two-year-old daughters from his parent’s home. He, along with his daughters, were hospitalized for injuries sustained during the crash.
The twins’ mother reported during the sentencing hearing that her children are now “doing very well” and “thriving.” She expressed relief that Brians was finally taking responsibility for his actions and said that his conviction is a step towards healing for her family.
Before his sentencing, Brians expressed remorse for his actions, thanking law enforcement and emergency responders for the efforts taken to rescue his children. On the day of the incident, at around 4:30 a.m., the girls’ mother alerted police that Brians had taken their daughters without her permission. She later testified in court that she received several text messages from him indicating his plans to drive off a cliff with the girls inside the car.
San Diego police Detective Aletha Lennier testified that Brians posted a message on Facebook minutes before driving off the cliff. His post included the statement, “Tonight, I’m sending my babies to Heaven.” His rescue from the water by Officer Jonathan Wiese earned Wiese a National Carnegie Medal recognizing his heroism, and a declaration of an official “Jonathan Wiese Day” in San Diego.
Presiding over the verdict, San Diego Superior Court Judge Joan Weber imposed a 10-year protective order barring Brians from contacting his daughters and their mother. Despite opposition from Brians’ defense attorney, Judge Weber argued that the girls needed time to heal.