Texas father charged in murder of 2-year-old daughter during pursuit involving authorities

HOUSTON, Texas (KWTX) - A Texas father has been arrested following the death of his three-year-old daughter in Harris County Monday.

Deontray Flanagan, 25, has been charged with capital murder and is being held at the Harris County Jail.

Flanagan picked up his two-year-old daughter, Zevaya Flanagan, from daycare at 9:30 a.m. Mar. 20 and then went to a Walmart where the child’s mother works.

The pair had a brief argument, deputies said, and Flanagan assaulted the child’s mother, took her cellular telephone, and left the store with the child.

According to authorities, Flanagan was driving a red Camaro and was talking on the phone family members who were able to track his mobile phone.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office Deputies located Flanagan near Greens road and I-45 leading Flanagan to flee in his car.

During the pursuit, deputies received information from family members that the child was still in the car and that Flanagan was physically abusing the child.

“The pursuit ended when Flanagan attempted to drive through a field at Stuebner Airline and Castleglen and his car became disabled,” said the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. “SWAT members approached the car, took Flanagan into custody, and removed the unresponsive child from the car.”

Emergency Medical Technicians immediately initiated CPR on the child and continued until Life Flight arrived on the scene.

Zevaya Flanagan was Life Flighted to Hermann Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

“As a father, as just a human being, for anyone to use a child, a precious defenseless child, just 2 years old. It just broke my heart to see her injured,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.

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