Police have charged Chelsea Berg, mother of Dawson Zamora, and her boyfriend Christopher Alexander with capital murder after the child died following months of alleged abuse and neglect.
On October 14, Alexander brought Dawson to Medical City McKinney. When medical staff examined the child, they found him covered in “apparent physical injuries in various stages of healing” and immediately became concerned about intentional trauma or abuse. Investigators determined Berg knew her son was demonstrating signs of severe illness and physical deterioration but neglected to remove him from the dangerous situation and failed to obtain appropriate care for his injuries. Witnesses also reported Alexander told Berg he “had to get rough with the child and strike the child in the stomach while trying to wake him up.”
Dawson had been hospitalized previously for routine illnesses, but Berg reported noticing bruising on her son’s body recently. When taken to Children’s Medical Center Dallas, medical staff determined his injuries would likely result in death or permanent disability. Evidence collected by police indicates Alexander physically assaulted Dawson over a period of at least 30 days. Both parents were aware of the visible injuries and reportedly feared Child Protective Services would investigate if they sought medical treatment for their son. Investigators also found the couple omitted pertinent information about the cause of the child’s injuries.
The couple had been initially arrested in October on charges of injury to a child and tampering with evidence. Dawson Zamora died on Sunday from his injuries. Berg was arrested Monday, the day after her son’s death, and charged with capital murder. Alexander’s charges were upgraded to capital murder. Dawson’s father, Dahrian Zamora, confirmed his son’s death on Sunday via social media.
