Mesquite, TX - A Mesquite man has been arrested and charged with capital murder after his 9-month-old daughter was found “extremely malnourished” and “clearly deceased,” as detailed in an arrest affidavit. The suspect, 22-year-old Leon Johnson, contacted emergency dispatch to report that his infant daughter was unresponsive and not breathing. Upon arrival, police received information that the family had attempted CPR multiple times, but emergency personnel indicated that the child was “beyond help.” Officers arrived at a residence in the 3500 block of Byrd Drive in Mesquite around 9:45 a.m. on December 13, 2024. They were directed to the back of an ambulance, where the infant was pronounced deceased. Observations made by the officer noted that the child appeared pale and severely malnourished. According to the affidavit, two adults met the ambulance in the driveway, with Johnson and his sister present at the scene. A protective sweep of the home revealed a medium-sized dog upstairs, while the living conditions were described as “in complete disarray,” requiring officers to navigate around various obstacles. Johnson informed law enforcement that his daughter, Maliyah Johnson, had not been eating for several days and had been vomiting anything she attempted to consume. He claimed he was supplementing her hydration with Pedialyte but expressed concern about a potential overdose. On the morning of the incident, he stated that he woke up at 9 a.m. to find her lying in vomit. He recounted holding her when she again spit up and subsequently made a gurgling sound before falling from his arms. Child Protective Services (CPS) has since been notified to conduct a further investigation. Johnson stated that he had been the sole custodian of Maliyah for more than a month and a half. Following his arrest, Johnson was booked into the Dallas County Jail, where his bond has been set at $1,000,000. The investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to gather more information regarding the circumstances surrounding the child's death.
Mesquite, TX - A Mesquite man has been arrested and charged with capital murder after his 9-month-old daughter was found “extremely malnourished” and “clearly deceased,” as detailed in an arrest affidavit. The suspect, 22-year-old Leon Johnson, contacted emergency dispatch to report that his infant daughter was unresponsive and not breathing. Upon arrival, police received information that the family had attempted CPR multiple times, but emergency personnel indicated that the child was “beyond help.” Officers arrived at a residence in the 3500 block of Byrd Drive in Mesquite around 9:45 a.m. on December 13, 2024. They were directed to the back of an ambulance, where the infant was pronounced deceased. Observations made by the officer noted that the child appeared pale and severely malnourished. According to the affidavit, two adults met the ambulance in the driveway, with Johnson and his sister present at the scene. A protective sweep of the home revealed a medium-sized dog upstairs, while the living conditions were described as “in complete disarray,” requiring officers to navigate around various obstacles. Johnson informed law enforcement that his daughter, Maliyah Johnson, had not been eating for several days and had been vomiting anything she attempted to consume. He claimed he was supplementing her hydration with Pedialyte but expressed concern about a potential overdose. On the morning of the incident, he stated that he woke up at 9 a.m. to find her lying in vomit. He recounted holding her when she again spit up and subsequently made a gurgling sound before falling from his arms. Child Protective Services (CPS) has since been notified to conduct a further investigation. Johnson stated that he had been the sole custodian of Maliyah for more than a month and a half. Following his arrest, Johnson was booked into the Dallas County Jail, where his bond has been set at $1,000,000. The investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to gather more information regarding the circumstances surrounding the child's death.