ABILENE, TX – A person who lives in the Texas home from which a 4-year-old boy was allegedly taken before he was found dead in the middle of a street said the house is equipped with cameras and videos revealed the suspect took the child while he was sleeping.
The 4-year-old boy, identified by the Dallas County Medical Examiners Office as Cash Gernon, was found dead in the middle of the 7500 block of Saddleridge Drive early Saturday morning, according to police.
Executive Assistant Chief of Police Albert Martinez told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth that investigators believe an “edged weapon” was used in the attack on the child.
Darriynn Brown, 18, was arrested earlier this week in connection with the death and charged with kidnapping and theft, according to the Dallas Police Department, which said more charges are expected following forensic analysis.
A police spokesman told NBC News that the teen was familiar with the people in the home where the child was taken.
Kamron Moori, who lived in the house with the child, told the NBC Dallas affiliate that surveillance video showed the suspect “carried him out of my house while he was asleep.”
Moori said Cash was “the sweetest little boy.”
“If I could right now, I would switch my place with his. I love this little boy,” Moori said.
Moori said Cash’s father dated his mother but eventually left, leaving his sons behind. Brown, Moori said, is a friend of his brother’s.
He said Brown had no reason to allegedly attack the little boy.
“There’s no reason for none of this. It’s not from revenge, not from hate, not from none of that. Not to get back at us. Nothing,” Moori said.
Dallas police have not confirmed the presence of a video but said Cash was living with Monica Sherrod after his father left him and his brother there without telling the boys’ mother.
The mother, Melinda Seagroves, had been searching for her sons, police said. Seagroves and her other son have since been reunited.
Brown was booked into the Dallas County Jail on Sunday, according to records. He is being held on $1,500,000 bond. It is unclear if he has a lawyer.
