CJ Nelson Sr: Florida father with 'extensive criminal history' helps son cover up shooting death of toddler, faces evidence tampering charges
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
FLORIDA, UNITED STATES: Flagler County law enforcement has made a second arrest related to the shooting death of an 18-month-old child in September 2023.
On Monday, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office announced that detectives found evidence suggesting that CJ Nelson Sr provided instructions to CJ Nelson Jr on how to conceal the shooting of 18-month-old Ja’liyah Allan, as per Fox News.
Father and son charged in connection to 18-month-old's death
According to authorities, Nelson Sr was summoned to the home, where he allegedly had his son hand over the firearm used in the shooting.
He handled the gun only with a t-shirt to prevent transferring his fingerprints onto it.
The sheriff’s office stated that Nelson Sr placed the gun in the bedroom, where it was later found by deputies.
He also instructed witnesses to tell deputies that he and his son were outside smoking during the incident.
Subsequently, the two men went to a residence in Palm Coast, Florida, where Nelson Sr directed his son to take a shower, aiming to remove any evidence or gunshot residue from his body.
Following an investigation, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Nelson Sr on January 5, 2024, charging him with tampering with evidence and providing false information to law enforcement during an investigation.
He was arrested at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where his son was already in custody, and was released after posting a $15,000 bond.
The sheriff’s office revealed that Nelson Sr has an extensive criminal history dating back to 2003, including charges of battery, cocaine possession, sale of cocaine, and child neglect with bodily harm.
How did the toddler die?
On the midnight of September 2, 2023, deputies responded to a home on Ranwood Lane in Bunnell after receiving a 911 call about a shooting. They discovered the toddler suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
The child was transported to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Shortly after, 22-year-old CJ Nelson Jr was apprehended and formally charged with felony manslaughter with a firearm.
Following a two-month investigation, it was determined that Ja’liyah’s mother was playing with the toddler in the hallway before bath time when a shot was fired from outside.
The gunshot was reportedly fired by CJ Nelson Jr, who was under the influence of marijuana while displaying an American tactical multi-caliber assault pistol.
Authorities believe the firearm discharged as the 22-year-old allegedly attempted to unjam or manipulate it, according to Flagler County Sheriff’s detective Kathryn Gordon, the lead investigator on the case.
Deputies reported finding blood trails on the floor throughout the house and discovering the assault pistol stashed in a closet along with drugs, as per New York Post.
