Los Angeles, California – Detectives in Los Angeles have made a disturbing connection between the deaths of an infant in Culver City and a man in Woodland Hills, pointing to a single suspect – the child’s mother and the man’s girlfriend, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The tragic events unfolded early as the woman allegedly fatally stabbed her boyfriend, identified as 29-year-old Jaelen Allen Chaney, following an altercation in Woodland Hills. Neighbors at the Montecito Apartments described a tumultuous relationship between the couple, with screams heard around 4 a.m. prompting a call to 911 that led to the discovery of Chaney’s body.
The woman then took her two children in her car, stopping for an unknown reason on the I-405 Freeway near Centinela Avenue in Culver City. California Highway Patrol officers later found the children – an 8-month-old infant who tragically died at the scene and a 9-year-old girl hospitalized with moderate injuries.
Further investigation revealed that the killings were related to a fatal single-car crash in Redondo Beach, where Danielle Cherakiyah Johnson, the mother of the children and girlfriend of the deceased man, lost her life. Authorities suspect that Johnson fled a crime scene in Woodland Hills in a dark-colored Porsche Cayenne before the children were found on the freeway by CHP.
The surviving child from the tragic events has spoken to investigators, shedding light on the series of events. LAPD reports indicate that the couple had been in a relationship for three years and cohabited, with Johnson still legally married and in the process of divorce. LAPD Lieutenant Guy Golan mentioned no history of domestic violence between the two, as they seemed to have been living peacefully for over a year and a half.
The investigation, which involved LAPD, CHP, and Redondo Beach Police Department, continues to unfold. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact investigators.