Toddler dead after father takes her out of daycare, attacks her mother, leads police chase in Texas

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A man has been arrested after he took a 2-year-old out of daycare, confronted her mother, and led police on a chase ultimately ending in the death of the little girl in Harris County, Texas on Monday.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said on Facebook that Deontray Flanagan, 25, has been charged with murder and he confirmed that the 2-year-old died.

Deputies were called out about a family disturbance on Monday just after 10 a.m. A man, who was later identified as Flanagan, was believed to be the biological father of a 2-year-old girl and he reportedly went to her private daycare and took her, according to KRIV

Gonzalez said, according to KHOU, that he when into a retail store nearby where the girl’s mother worked and confronted her. He reportedly asked for her phone and passcode, threatening to hurt the child in the process. She did what he wanted in hopes of trying to help her daughter.

Flanagan reportedly hit the woman in the face multiple times. He left with her phone and the toddler. He then started a chase with deputies as he drove off in a red Camaro, KHOU reported. Deputies said that the mother tried to FaceTime him to get him to stop but was unsuccessful.

The chase ended at a church on Stuebner Airline Road but Flanagan refused to get out of the car. A negotiator started to communicate with him and was able to find out that the toddler was unresponsive, the news outlet reported.

Eventually, a distraction device was used to get Flanagan out of the car as well as the 2-year-old. Gonzalez said, according to KHOU, the man was arrested and the girl was immediately given CPR until Life Flight arrived. The girl later died at the hospital. Gonzalez said it’s possible that the girl was injured by “being thrown around in the car