Downey man, 23, arrested in death of 6-year-old boy, police say

DOWNEY, Calif. (KABC) -- Police have arrested a 23-year-old Downey man in the death of a 6-year-old boy who died shortly after he was brought to a Long Beach hospital Thursday night with serious injuries.

The boy was brought to St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach with life-threatening injuries. He died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Downey police said they have arrested Tyler D'Shaun Martin-Brand, 23, of Downey. He is described as an acquaintance of the boy's mother.

The coroner's office ruled the death a homicide.

"I'm holding together right now because I have my loved ones with me to console me at this time," said David Nicholson, Dayvon's father.

Nicholson said Dayvon lived with his mother. They co-parented but Nicholson hadn't seen his son much recently. He said Dayvon spent a lot of time in the care of his mother's friend, a man he only knew by the name Coach Ty.

"He took something really precious to me. He took something really precious to my kids," Nicholson said.

The 6-year-old's grandfather said he spoke to Martin-Brand on the phone and said that he admitted to beating the child.

"He said 'I was trying to discipline him.' I said, 'You know where you're going now, you're going to jail.' He said, 'I know,'" said David Nicholson, Sr., Dayvon's grandfather.

Police have not released additional details about the circumstances of the boy's death.

"This case is a serious and complex investigation and investigators are still in the process of gathering information, interviewing witnesses and processing evidence," Downey police said in a written statement.

The Downey Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact Detective David Van at (562) 904-2386.