Crime & Safety
Man Accused Of Murdering Child Arrested In Newark
Investigators say the 8-year-old victim suffered sexual and physical abuse, and was forced to live in a backyard shed.
NEWARK, CA — A suspect in the killing of an 8-year-old Hayward girl in Merced last March was arrested Saturday in Newark, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Bonta, along with the Merced Police Department, announced the arrest Saturday of Dhante Jackson for the murder of Sophia Mason. Jackson was arrested in Newark after a months-long search and an investigation led by Merced police with assistance by the Merced Area Gang and Narcotic Enforcement Team and the Department of Justice's Special Operations Unit.
Related: Newark Woman Arrested: Accused Of Helping Murder Suspect Elude Police
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"The pain of losing a child is unimaginable, especially when that child was a victim of abuse. We grieve with Sophia's family and loved ones, and acknowledge that she should be here with us now, playing, learning, and growing up," Bonta said. "Our children should be protected from violence and we must do everything we can to safeguard them. I want to thank the members of my team and our law enforcement partners in Merced for their work on this very difficult case, and hope it brings some measure of comfort to those who loved this young girl to know that those accused of her murder will now have to face these allegations."
Investigators found Sophia's body in Jackson's home on March 11 after the Merced police received a request for assistance from the Hayward Police Department as part of an investigation into the reported disappearance of Mason. On March 12, the victim's mother, Samantha Johnson — who was in custody in Dublin for prior child abuse charges from 2021 — provided information to investigators about the cruelty inflicted upon Mason leading up to her death, including being forced to live in a shed in Jackson's yard and suffering sexual and physical abuse. The Merced County District Attorney's Office charged Johnson with child abuse and homicide and issued a warrant for Jackson's arrest for Mason's murder.
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After months of searching for the suspect, investigators located Jackson in hiding in Newark and arrested him. Jackson will be charged by the Merced County District Attorney's Office with homicide.
Officers also charged four other suspects, one located in Merced and three in the Bay Area, suspected of aiding Jackson in evading arrest.
Bonta and Merced police will hold a 9 a.m. news conference Sunday at the Merced Police Department, 611 W. 22nd St., Merced.
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