Missing 18-month-old Texas toddler found dead in landfill a day after being abducted from home in middle of night
An 18-month-old Texas boy who authorities said may have been abducted from his Lake Highlands home in the middle of the night on Tuesday, July 9, was found dead in a landfill on Thursday. Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the case.
A statewide Amber Alert was issued on Wednesday, July 10, for 18-month-old Cedric Jackson, who also goes by CJ.
On Thursday afternoon, investigators found Cedric’s body in a landfill, according to CBS News. A red sunshade was reportedly set up to cover the alleged crime scene from news helicopters. Crime Scene Investigators were still at the scene Thursday evening.
Dallas police announced Thursday on Twitter that they had arrested Sendrick Johnson, 27, and charged him with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury. Johnson is the boyfriend of the boy’s aunt, according to NBC.
Deputies from the Dallas Police Department received a 911 call from the boy's aunt, who had recently been granted custody of Cedric by Child Protective Services, regarding a missing infant at 6 am on Wednesday, according to a press release.
Cedric was last seen at around 11:00 pm the previous night at his aunt's apartment on the 9700 block of Whitehurst Drive in Lake Highlands after he had been temporarily placed into her custody by Child Protective Services.
She told deputies that she had put him to sleep that night, only to discover him missing the next morning.
A regional Amber Alert was issued at around 12:15 pm on July 10, with that alert later updated into a statewide one.
"As a mother, it’s the scariest feeling in the world. It’s really scary, and I just want him to be safe. I want him to know wherever he is that I love him. We love him, and we hope that he’s safe," said DiShundra Thomas, the infant's mother.
She said the placement into the aunt's custody was temporary and not against her will, adding, "We just want our son back. He's not even two years old yet. I just want him back home with me."
Cedric’s death has devastated his family. Cedric’s aunt, Crystal Jackson, told Dallas TV station WFAA, “He’s dead. He’s gone. We don’t know 100 percent of what happened, but we all loved that baby. He was just the sweetest baby.”