Just days after a little boy’s death, investigators are still looking for answers as to what killed him, but the boy’s mother and her boyfriend have been arrested.
Jace Davis died on Saturday, just two weeks after turning 3 years old. Investigators said Jace was found gagging inside a mobile home where he lived with his mother and her new boyfriend. First responders performed CPR at the boy’s rural Liberty County home, all the way to a Kingwood emergency room, where he was pronounced dead.
At about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Lisa Marie Davis, 27, and Elmer Powell, 21, were arrested at a business in Cleveland. They’re both charged with making a false report to a police officer.
Davis and Powell were booked into the Liberty County Jail on the misdemeanor charge. Powell with injury to a child. His bond was set at $500,000. Authorities say they are not cooperating with investigators.
The little boy’s father believes the child’s death didn’t have to happen. Noe Arriaga told ABC13 he hadn’t been able to see his son in several months.
“She always said he was good. Even on her Facebook page, she said a couple of times that the baby was good. That he’s fine. That everyone is fine. But apparently, not,” he said.
When asked if he was ever suspicious of how his son was being treated, Arriaga said, “Of course. Of course. Every father does. Every father is worried about your kids when they’re not with you.”
He says he is angry with Child Protective Services for not doing enough because CPS had been called earlier this summer regarding his son’s welfare.
The agency sent ABC13 a brief statement saying:
“Child Protective Services is investigating the boy’s death alongside law enforcement. CPS does have a history with the family, but specific details of case investigations are confidential under the law.”
“One of the CPS ladies, called me at almost 10 p.m. saying she wanted to meet me (Tuesday) to talk about this situation. But I just said it’s too late from y’all,” Arriaga said.
Authorities say the investigation into Jace’s death is ongoing as they await the results of his autopsy.
