On June 9, 2010, two-month-old De Jon Merriex was found not breathing and was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:25 p.m., according to Los Angeles County coroner records. Initial reports noted the infant was dirty and thin and had scratches and small scars on his body; coroner notes also described a red mark on his neck and possible bruising to his torso. At the time the scene and place of injury were unclear and the cause of death was deferred pending additional tests.
De Jon was identified as a Latino male infant. The case was handled by the LAPD Abused Child Unit, North Valley division. Early media follow-ups and coroner updates indicated investigators were treating the death with concern for possible abuse; the coroner later changed the initial deferred finding. On February 28, 2011, coroner officials ruled De Jon's death a homicide, listing suffocation as the cause. The public reporting is limited to the coroner's description and the LAPD unit handling the file; contemporary news accounts do not describe arrests, suspects, or detailed investigative developments beyond the coroner's ruling.
As of the most recent public records and reporting located, there is no record of an arrest, charge, or court action related to De Jon Merriex's death in the sources reviewed. The case remains recorded as a child homicide handled by the LAPD Abused Child Unit, North Valley. No tip line or reward notice was published in the items located; anyone with information historically would have been asked to contact the LAPD Abused Child Unit.
