Suspected Child Abuser And Killer Arrested

Merced, California Police have arrested a man in the killing of an 8 year old girl. The child’s body was discovered last March in the bathtub inside the locked bathroom in the Merced home, and investigators say the body showed signs of continued physical abuse, mal nourishment and sexual abuse. They also  say the child was forced to live in a shed in the backyard.

The child’s mother, 30 year old Samantha Johnson, was arrested when the child’s body was found and pleaded not guilty to murder and child abuse charges. But it wasn’t until this past weekend before police could find the child’s other killer, 34 year old Dhante Jackson, whom police say was the mother’s boyfriend.

Jackson also faces charges of child abuse in addition to the murder charge. He was also charged with child abuse involving another child. In addition to the mother and her boyfriend, four other people were arrested and charged with aiding and abetting by helping Jackson elude police and avoid arrest.

-Tony Lee