A Dallas County jury has found 33-year-old Sedrick Deshun Johnson guilty of Injury to a Child by Failing to Seek Medical Attention in the 2019 death of 18-month-old CJ, a toddler placed in the care of relatives by Child Protective Services.
The case was led by prosecutor Rachel Burris with Jacob Zachariah serving as second chair. The investigation was conducted by the Dallas Police Department with DA Investigator Ryan Rodriguez assisting.
CJ had been placed by CPS in the care of his paternal aunt. However, CPS was unaware that the aunt was living with her boyfriend—Sedrick Johnson—and their six children. According to the defendant’s own statements, CJ had a habit of getting into things. To prevent this, Johnson said he would “swaddle” CJ tightly in a blanket.
On July 10, 2019, Johnson claimed that after swaddling CJ, the toddler began making “sounds” and vomiting. Johnson told investigators he attempted to clear CJ’s airway and performed CPR for 30–40 minutes, even placing the child in a bathtub to revive him. At no point did he seek emergency assistance.
After CJ became unresponsive, Johnson admitted to wrapping the child in a blanket, driving to Garland, and placing his body in a dumpster. CJ's remains were discovered the next day in a landfill.
The case encountered delays due to an appeal regarding the voluntariness of Johnson’s statement. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Appellate Division, led by Russell Anderson, successfully overturned a prior judicial ruling, allowing the case to proceed to trial.
On June 18, 2025, the jury returned a guilty verdict. Two days later, on June 20, Johnson was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He received credit for 2,172 days already served—approximately six years spent in jail since his arrest.
