Man charged with murder of 5-year-old boy found in Panorama City parking lot

CBS News

3 days ago

The 20-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the death of a 5-year-old boy whose body was found in a Panorama City parking lot dumpster was charged on Friday with murder and assault on a child causing death.
Bryscon Malik Gaddis is the boyfriend of the boy's mother and is accused of causing the death of Elyjah Hearn. The boy's body was found in the early morning on July 12 in a parking lot dumpster near the 8200 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The morning of the discovery of the boy's body, LAPD Detective Meghan Aguilar asked for the public's help to identify the boy. "It's outraged many people, so everyone is trying to think of anything they could have possibly seen, or any way they can help …" she said.
Police finally announced the identity of the boy days later on Wednesday, and Gaddis was arrested the same day.
Detectives had reviewed surveillance footage, obtained witness statements, and collected physical evidence, which led them to a Panorama City apartment complex on the 14500 block of Lanark Street.
According to prosecutors, Gaddis allegedly beat the child to death last Friday in that Lanark Street apartment complex. Police said Gaddis is not the boy's biological father.
In the days following the discovery of the boy's body, a large memorial grew with community members stopping by to pay their respects. "We are still in shock, and we are taking this really hard," the boy's aunt, Alicia Jennings said.
The boy's grandfather, Troy Hearn, described Elyjah as a boy who loved to run and play. He added that he helped raise him with his wife before her passing.
"I'm so hurt right now and this is so hard," Hearn said. "I'm going to miss his presence."
Gaddis was ordered to remain in jail with $2 million bail and could face a potential maximum state prison sentence of 25 years to life if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney's Office.