The body was found at Merced’s home on Friday. This was several days after Sophia Mason’s family told Hayward police that they had lost contact with Sophia Mason in December and that Sophia was known to have stayed at various locations in Hayward and Southern California.
Hayward police arrested Samantha Johnson, her mother, on a warrant stemming out of a case in Alameda County that involved child abuse last year.
According to the statement, her statements led police officers to execute a search warrant at Dhante Jackson’s Merced home, where she lives with her 34-year old boyfriend.
Investigators believe Jackson fled after hearing about the search of Jackson’s home.
Merced police stated that investigators were trying to identify the body. They didn’t release the cause.
Johnson was being held to investigate murder. According to police, Johnson will be taken to the Merced County Jail for trial.
Jackson was arrested on warrant. According to police, he was known to be a frequent visitor to the Bay Area.
