Body Of 18-Month-Old Cedric Jackson Found In Landfill, Aunt's Boyfriend Arrested
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — Sedrick Deshun Johnson — the boyfriend of 18-month-old Cedric "C.J." Jackson's aunt — is in police custody in relation to the death of the little boy.
Police arrested the 27-year-old Thursday morning. He was charged with injury to a child, serious bodily injury. According to police, he confessed that he was at the apartment and moved Cedric's body to a dumpster in northeast Dallas. Detectives learned that the dumpster was emptied twice since then.
According to the arrest affidavit, Johnson stated the 18-month-old "made a mess" with ketchup packets, and that he then tightly swaddled him to restrict his movement and placed him on the floor.
It was reported that around 12:30 a.m. July 10, Johnson unwrapped the little boy and he began to throw up and later became unresponsive.
Johnson told police after he attempted CPR in the bedroom for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, he drove Cedric to another location where he disposed of him in the dumpster.
During a forensic interview, one of the juvenile witnesses reported that Johnson would wrap Cedric too tightly, causing him to cry. The witness stated he heard Cedric crying late-night then stopped suddenly before he disappeared.
Jackson's aunt, Crystal, stated she had woke up during the night and noticed that both Johnson and Cedric were missing. She then called Johnson and confronted him about why he wasn't at the residence.
It is believed that Johnson caused serious bodily injury to Jackson by compressing his airway and failed to seek medical assistance.
Johnson's prior criminal history includes abandoning and endangering a child with intent to return, prostitution, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Dallas police said in 2010, after arresting Johnson for prostitution, his daughter - who was 4 months old at the time - was found left alone in his apartment. Police said Johnson told them he had left her on the bed while he went to the store to get cigars.
Johnson got four years probation for the offense, which he later violated multiple times. Violations include testing positive for THC on several occasions, giving officers false information, resisting arrest.
Police found Cedric's body in a landfill shortly after 11 a.m. He was taken to the coroner's office where they will determine how and when he died.
Cedric was reported missing from the Twin Oaks Apartments, in the 9700 block of Whitehurst Drive, around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Child Protective Services (CPS) recently gave his aunt temporary custody of Cedric for reasons that remain unclear. That woman told police she put the little boy to bed sometime after 11:00 p.m. Tuesday and he was gone the next morning when she woke up.
Before authorities began searching for Cedric's remains, family members had expressed concern about the aunt's claim since they say the woman slept next to the child, in the same bed.
Officials issued a statewide Amber Alert for Cedric Wednesday night.