Police arrested a man who was wanted in connection with the murder of an 8-year-old girl after he had been on the run for nearly six months in California, authorities shared Saturday.
Dhante Jackson, 33, was arrested in Newark, California, on Saturday at 1:40 p.m., according to the Merced Police Department.
Jackson is facing charges of murder and child abuse for the death of Sophia Mason, whose body was discovered in a Merced home in March. Family members had reported Mason missing.
Jackson had been dating Samantha Johnson, Mason's 31-year-old mother, at the time of the child's murder, and after her body was found, Jackson went missing.
The Hayward Police Department shared its condolences, saying, "Our hearts and thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of little Sophia; we cannot imagine your pain as you continue to mourn her loss."
After Mason's body was discovered, her mother was taken into custody. Since then, she has pleaded not guilty to her child's murder.
Mason's family had reported that she was being abused in the past. Melissa Harris, Mason's cousin, shared with the Sacramento Bee that her death could have been avoided had the proper agencies acted.
Harris also shared that Mason's mother is developmentally challenged, and she believes Jackson sexually trafficked both Mason and her mother.
The Merced Police Department worked with the Merced Area Gang and Narcotic Enforcement Team (MAGNET) and the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit to find and place Jackson under custody.
Jackson is currently in Merced County Jail, awaiting his first court appearance. Mason's murder is still under investigation, and no further details were released.
Related
Related
