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King Jay's dad indicted on new charge for hiding baby's corpse, DA announces

Courtesy: Bexar County Jail

SAN ANTONIO – Three relatives of baby King Jay Davila were indicted by a grand jury for their alleged roles in the infant's death, the Bexar County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

King Jay's father, Christopher Davila, was indicted on a new charge of tampering with evidence by concealing a human corpse, according to the District Attorney's Office. 

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He was also indicted on a charge of causing serious bodily injury to a child. Davila, warrants show, claimed he was at home playing video games with King Jay on his bed in a car seat, but not strapped in. He told authorities when he sat on the bed, the car seat fell to the floor with King Jay, causing his son to land face-first on the floor, according to an arrest affidavit. Davila told investigators he did not seek medical assistance for the infant because he was scared.

The injury to a child causing serious bodily indictment alleges that Davila either hit the baby with an unknown object, hit the baby against an unknown object or hit the baby by some unknown manner, then failed to seek medical treatment for the child, causing his death. This comes after a search warrant revealed that police were looking for "a tool capable of causing trauma" in connection with the case.

Courtesy: Bexar County Jail

Davila, his cousin Angie Torres, and mother, Beatrice Sampayo, were each indicted on a charge of tampering with evidence. The indictment stems from allegations the trio concealed the baby's car seat as police searched for him.

Apart from the indictments stemming from King Jay's death, the District Attorney's Office said Davila was also indicted on a charge of felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.

The District Attorney's Office provided the following punishment scales for the respective charges, if convicted:

  • Injury to a child causing serious bodily injury | first-degree felony: 5 to 99 years, or life in prison.
  • Tampering with evidence | third-degree felony: 2 to 10 years in prison.
  • Tampering with evidence by concealing a human corpse | second-degree felony: 2 to 20 years in prison.
  • Felon in possession of a firearm | third-degree felony: 2 to 10 years in prison.
  • Possession of a controlled substance | second-degree felony: 2 to 20 years in prison.

According to a search warrant obtained in February by the KSAT 12 Defenders, authorities believe King Jay died Jan. 4, the same day his family was accused of staging his kidnapping from a West Side gas station.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed in February that King Jay's death was ruled a homicide caused by blunt force injuries.

Davila led investigators to King Jay's body buried in a backpack on Jan. 10.

RELATED STORIES:

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King Jay Davila's death caused by 'blunt force injuries,' ME says 

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Memorial for baby King Jay Davila continues to grow

SAPD: We 'believe that King Jay is deceased'; 3 charged in case, including father

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About the Authors
Dillon Collier headshot

Emmy-award winning reporter Dillon Collier joined KSAT Investigates in September 2016. Dillon's investigative stories air weeknights on the Nightbeat and on the Six O'Clock News. Dillon is a two-time Houston Press Club Journalist of the Year and a Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Reporter of the Year.

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