Mom makes emotional plea for arrest in death of her baby in Freeport
FREEPORT, TX (KTRK) -- A mother is in anguish over the death of her infant son while the last person to see him alive is on the run.
Police spent Wednesday chasing leads from Freeport to Houston where Antoine Allen Gorman, 27, has family ties.
Gorman faces child endangerment charges and police want to find out what he knows about the death of 7-week-old Malachi Nelson. They are calling him a 'person of interest' in the death.
"Help me find him," pleaded Tashiay Nelson, the baby's mother.
Nelson says she left Malachi and two other children, ages 3 and 4, in Gorman's care Tuesday while she was at work. When she returned to her apartment on North Avenue J near Highway 288, the children were alone. She first texted Gorman and then went to the baby.
If you're viewing on our abc13 news app, tap on the photo above to see more images.
"He texted back and said, 'I just went to the store' and I haven't heard from him since," explained Nelson. "He (Malachi) was in his bouncer and when I picked him up, his face was cold but I thought it was just the fan. But he wasn't responding or nothing."
The baby was rushed to the hospital Tuesday night where he was pronounced dead.
Relatives say Nelson and Gorman met online and that he just moved to Freeport from Louisiana.
"I met him twice and was briefly around him and didn't really know him," relative Michael Nelson said.
Gorman is charged with three counts of child endangerment for leaving the children alone and could face more charges once an autopsy reveals how the baby died.
ORIGINAL REPORT: 7-week-old baby found not breathing inside apartment
"It's important he's caught because he's running wild and it could be your child," said Michelle Roy Clemons, Nelson's aunt.
According to online court records, Gorman has a criminal past in Harris County that includes unlawfully carrying a weapon and assault. He has relatives in Houston. Nelson says he doesn't have a car. She believes he's still in the Freeport area.
"I hope he gets punished for what he did to my baby. He was an innocent baby," said Nelson.
Two of Nelson's other children are in custody of CPS who says Nelson has a history with them. A third child is with his biological father.
Police say Gorman's bond is $250,000 on each charge of child endangerment.
If you see him, you are urged to call Freeport police at 979-239-1211 or local authorities.
