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| Man in custody in double slaying of mother and child in Prince George’s County | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A Maryland man was arrested in the killing of his 2-year-old daughter and the child’s mother, according to Prince George’s County police and court documents. | |
| Daron Maurice Boswell-Johnson, 25, faces charges in the fatal shooting of NeShante Alesha Davis, 26, and her daughter, Chloe Nichole Davis-Green, outside their Fort Washington home Tuesday morning, police said Wednesday afternoon. | |
| Detectives quickly developed a suspect in the case, said Hank Stawinski, interim police chief for Prince George’s County. Stawinski said the man who was arrested acknowledged his involvement in the double homicide. | |
| Davis was found dead in the parking lot of Pinewood Hill Condominiums on Palmer Road just before 7 a.m. A neighbor heard gunshots and called 911, police said. Inside a dark blue sedan nearby, her daughter also was found shot. She was taken to a hospital, where she died. | |
| Friends, family, neighbors, and teachers and students at Bradbury Heights Elementary School, where Davis taught for the past year, mourned and wondered Tuesday afternoon who would commit what many called a heinous act. | |
| “This is something that is not acceptable to the residents of Prince George’s County,” Stawinski said. He said the crime “shocks the conscience,” and that officers have worked “tirelessly” and overnight. “We’re pleased that we’re just about to resolve this case.” | |
| Court records indicate that Boswell-Johnson was ordered in November to pay $600 in monthly child support for Chloe after a paternity test indicated that he was her father. | |
| Family for Boswell-Johnson could not be reached Wednesday, and it is unclear whether he has an attorney yet. | |
| The killing of Davis’s daughter is the second homicide involving a child in the county this year. Last month, a 6-month-old girl died after suffering blunt-force injuries. Police said the boyfriend of the mother caused the injuries. | |
| On Tuesday, family members stood across the street from the crime scene and described Davis as a “wonderful daughter” and a “beautiful mom.” One man, who said he was an extended relative but did not want his name used for privacy reasons, said Davis “would do anything for anybody.” | On Tuesday, family members stood across the street from the crime scene and described Davis as a “wonderful daughter” and a “beautiful mom.” One man, who said he was an extended relative but did not want his name used for privacy reasons, said Davis “would do anything for anybody.” |
| Davis lived at the home on Palmer Road with her aunt and uncle, said her cousin Dimitria Taylor, who also lived there. Davis enjoyed spending time with her family and doing her makeup and hair, Taylor said. | Davis lived at the home on Palmer Road with her aunt and uncle, said her cousin Dimitria Taylor, who also lived there. Davis enjoyed spending time with her family and doing her makeup and hair, Taylor said. |
| Neighbors said they were shocked by the shooting. | Neighbors said they were shocked by the shooting. |
| Sherie Matthis, who has lived in the area for 30 years, described the family as full of “good people.” Matthis said she often saw Davis in the parking lot playing with her daughter. | Sherie Matthis, who has lived in the area for 30 years, described the family as full of “good people.” Matthis said she often saw Davis in the parking lot playing with her daughter. |
| “They both had a future,” she added. “This is awful. This is trifling. This is dirty.” | “They both had a future,” she added. “This is awful. This is trifling. This is dirty.” |
| A man who lives in the area said he awoke to the sound of three or four gunshots and called 911. | A man who lives in the area said he awoke to the sound of three or four gunshots and called 911. |
| “It doesn’t make you feel good,” said the man, who, fearing retribution, also asked to remain anonymous. | “It doesn’t make you feel good,” said the man, who, fearing retribution, also asked to remain anonymous. |
| “Nothing like that has ever happened around here,” he said. | “Nothing like that has ever happened around here,” he said. |
| Davis graduated from Bowie State University in May with a degree in elementary education, and she began working at Bradbury Heights Elementary School. Officials at the school called parents Tuesday morning, notifying them that they would tell students that Ms. Davis would not be coming back to class. | Davis graduated from Bowie State University in May with a degree in elementary education, and she began working at Bradbury Heights Elementary School. Officials at the school called parents Tuesday morning, notifying them that they would tell students that Ms. Davis would not be coming back to class. |
| The school had crisis teams available for students, parents and teachers, and they will remain on campus “as long as they need it,” according to a statement from Prince George’s County Public Schools. | The school had crisis teams available for students, parents and teachers, and they will remain on campus “as long as they need it,” according to a statement from Prince George’s County Public Schools. |
| “This is a great tragedy,” said Theresa Mitchell Dudley, president of the teachers union in Prince George’s. “The violence in our community affects everyone — our educators, our children, our families.” | “This is a great tragedy,” said Theresa Mitchell Dudley, president of the teachers union in Prince George’s. “The violence in our community affects everyone — our educators, our children, our families.” |
| On Tuesday afternoon, parents picked up their children at the Capitol Heights school and struggled with how they would help them handle the news. | On Tuesday afternoon, parents picked up their children at the Capitol Heights school and struggled with how they would help them handle the news. |
| Tiffany Byrd’s 7-year-old son was a student in Davis’s class. With Davis as a teacher, Byrd’s son improved his reading scores, and the teacher took extra time to look after the boy, who has a medical condition that sometimes would leave him tired or temperamental, Byrd said. | Tiffany Byrd’s 7-year-old son was a student in Davis’s class. With Davis as a teacher, Byrd’s son improved his reading scores, and the teacher took extra time to look after the boy, who has a medical condition that sometimes would leave him tired or temperamental, Byrd said. |
| “She was really kind and very patient,” Byrd said. “Everything she did, she did with extra care and attention.” | “She was really kind and very patient,” Byrd said. “Everything she did, she did with extra care and attention.” |
| Byrd’s son said he and his classmates cried when they were told that their teacher would not be coming back. | Byrd’s son said he and his classmates cried when they were told that their teacher would not be coming back. |
| He described his teacher as “nice and funny” and liked that she helped him improve his spelling. | He described his teacher as “nice and funny” and liked that she helped him improve his spelling. |
| “Sometimes I wouldn’t know words, and she said, ‘Sound it out,’ ” Byrd’s son said. “She helped me until I got it right.” | “Sometimes I wouldn’t know words, and she said, ‘Sound it out,’ ” Byrd’s son said. “She helped me until I got it right.” |
| Erik Hines, another parent, said that Davis quickly became a favorite teacher in just her first year in the classroom. His 7-year-old daughter was a student of hers and wouldn’t want to go to school if she knew that a substitute teacher would be there instead of Davis. | Erik Hines, another parent, said that Davis quickly became a favorite teacher in just her first year in the classroom. His 7-year-old daughter was a student of hers and wouldn’t want to go to school if she knew that a substitute teacher would be there instead of Davis. |
| “She was very loved,” Hines said of Davis. “She clinged to those kids like they were her own.” | “She was very loved,” Hines said of Davis. “She clinged to those kids like they were her own.” |
| As Hines spoke, his daughter came up to the car and quietly stared at him through the passenger-side window. | As Hines spoke, his daughter came up to the car and quietly stared at him through the passenger-side window. |
| Bundled up in her purple coat, she climbed inside and then burst into tears. | Bundled up in her purple coat, she climbed inside and then burst into tears. |
| “Hey, baby,” Hines said softly as he wrapped her in his arms and whispered words of comfort. | “Hey, baby,” Hines said softly as he wrapped her in his arms and whispered words of comfort. |
| She continued weeping on his shoulder for a few minutes before he wiped away his own tears and drove away. | She continued weeping on his shoulder for a few minutes before he wiped away his own tears and drove away. |
| Matt Zapotosky and Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report. | Matt Zapotosky and Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report. |