A Mesquite man has been arrested, and charged with capital murder after his nine-month-old daughter was found dead in what police describe as a severe case of malnutrition. FOX 4 News reports the child, identified as Maliyah Johnson, was "clearly deceased" when police arrived at the 3500 block of Byrd Drive last Friday morning. The arrest affidavit detailed how the emergency dispatch was informed the family attempted CPR multiple times before acknowledging the "child was beyond help."
Leon Johnson, a 22-year-old father was at the home with the baby, his other child, and his sister when the authorities arrived, according to FOX 4 News. An officer performed a protective sweep of the residence, finding a "complete disarray" with officers needing to navigate around clutter to move through. Johnson reportedly told police his daughter had not been eating, had been vomiting anything consumed, and claimed he had been supplementing with Pedialyte to keep her hydrated, but feared an overdose.
As per WFAA, ambulance personnel pronounced the infant deceased on the scene after two adults met them in the driveway to hand over the child. Following the discovery, Child Protective Services was called in to investigate, marking the onset of a painful quest for answers to the circumstances that led to this tragedy.
Johnson was booked into the Dallas County Jail on Saturday, facing a charge of capital murder of a person under 10 years of age, as indicated by police and jail records. Though not previously involved with the family, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is now collaborating with law enforcement on the case. WFAA notes the siblings were not removed from the home, and no past incidents with DFPS have been reported.
