Photo Courtesy of People Magazine
Earlier this week, News Onyx reported that on May 16, four-year-old Cash Gernon was found dead found violently murdered on a Dallas street by a woman jogging.
Now, surveillance footage from the home and Cash’s dad’s girlfriend, Monica Sherrod, has confirmed that two hours earlier, Cash was taken from his bed earlier that morning by Darriynn Brown.
According to The Dallas News, a detective watched the home surveillance video with Sherrod, who was able to identify Brown according to the detective’s affidavit.
In the video, Brown can be seen hovering over Gernon and his twin brother, Carter Gernon, as they slept in their cot.
He stood still for a several seconds before picking up Cash in one fast motion and running out of the room with the little boy in his arms.
In additional video footage, Brown was captured on camera a second time as he returned to the room just after daybreak in what seemed like an attempt to kidnap Carter.
However, he fled after hearing a sound, while Carter’s twin brother would have already been dead.
However, the detective’s affidavit does not describe what relationship Brown had to Cash’s family or suggest any explanation for the treacherous man taking the boy.
Child abuse detectives discovered Brown at his home later that day and took him to the law enforcement wing of the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center for an interview before he was booked.
He remained jailed Monday on $1.5 million bail and faces charges of kidnapping and burglary.
Police are expecting additional charges after a forensic analysis is completed.
A woman at Brown’s address, who’s identified as Mimi Brown, Darriynn Brown’s mother, said it’s impossible her son could’ve committed the crimes.
Mimi stated that her son was home all weekend and could not have kidnapped the boy.
”That’s not right at all,” Mimi Brown said. “I know my son is traumatized. I know he’s scared because I’m scared.”
Brown said her son is a patient of Metrocare Services, which is an institution that provides mental health care to children and adults.
Mimi also said Darriynn has several younger cousins that he helps take care of and wouldn’t have been capable of hurting Cash.
“Darriynn is very kind,” she said. “I feel that he’s being framed.”
Kamron Mori, who lives at the address where Cash was taken, said the four-year-old was a happy little boy who loved superheroes.
Mori also said Cash’s mother wouldn’t stop crying, and his brothers and sisters are sad and confused.
”I’m already cried out,” Mori said.
Mori said the family plans to host a memorial balloon launch on Sunday at Park in the Woods near Mountain Creek Parkway and Wheatland Road.
The distraught young man said he knew Brown and that they had been friends throughout multiple schoolings.
” Friends ain’t nothing,” he said just a few blocks from where Cash’s body was found.
“Evil. No reason. Literally, no reason.”