A $1 million bond has been set for 26-year-old Derion Venice in the disappearance of 4-year-old Maleah Davis. According to reports, he was captured Saturday (May 11) at a relative’s home and charged with “tampering with evidence, namely, a corpse.” Law enforcement can’t confirm is Maleah died, but they fear she isn’t alive.
Maleah’s mother Brittany Bowens left her daughter in Venice’s care on April 30 to attend a funeral out of town. Surveillance video shows that was the last time the little girl was seen alive. Venice reappears on camera with Maleah escorting her back into her family’s apartment complex.
The next morning, police say Venice wasn’t seen with the child.
On May 3, Venice was seen leaving the apartment with his 1-year-old son, a laundry basket, and a black trash bag inside. Blood evidence from the apartment has been linked to the child.
Venice originally told police he was on his way to the airport with his son and Maleah when he pulled over on the side of the road to check his tires. He said he was approached by three Latino men who knocked him unconscious. When he came ton the side of Highway 6 near First Colony Mall he said his son was with him and not Maleah.
At this time, Bowens had another family member pick her up from the airport when Venice didn’t arrive. Bowens said she filed a police report that Saturday morning after Venice.
“My spirit is so broken, I feel so lost. I can’t concentrate, I can’t focus. It’s so overwhelming for me. It doesn’t seem real,” Bowens said.
