FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – The father of a toddler who the coroner said died of abusive injuries has now been arrested and charged with neglect.
Court documents say police were called on October 22, 2020, to a Fort Wayne home for an EMS assist. When they arrived they found multiple people trying to do CPR on a small child who was later pronounced dead at the scene. The next day, the coroner’s office identified the child as 19-month-old Elias Paez, saying he died of abusive injuries, and police named his father Trevon Bishop as a person of interest in the case.
On April 8, 2022, a warrant for the neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury was issued for 24-year-old Bishop, and he was arrested on April 13.
A probable cause affidavit says police spoke with a witness on Oct. 22, 2020, who said she heard Elias’ mother discover him and start screaming. She said she heard Bishop’s mother telling Elias’ mother, “why did you leave him with my son? You know what happened last time.” Police then spoke with another woman who said she was told Trevon had hit Elias before. Elias’ mother told police Bishop would threaten her and hit Elias if she did anything.
Bishop told police he went to check on Elias the morning of the incident, saying he looked “discolored and stiff”. He said he thought he should call an EMS but felt he needed to talk to the boy’s mother first. He said he met her at a store because he didn’t want to tell her about the injuries over the phone. He claimed he did not know the boy was dead when he went to talk to her. Police then spoke with her, who said Elias looked happy and healthy earlier that morning before she left him with Bishop to go to work. She also had a video of Elias with no injuries the night before the incident, wearing the same clothes he was found in.
Bishop is currently charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury. An initial hearing for the case is set for Monday, April 18.
If you feel overwhelmed for any reason and need a temporary break from your children, you can call the Daybreak Crisis Homes at (260) 421-5004 for help. Your name will not go into a database.
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