'No parent should go through that:' Mother shares heartbreaking testimony in case of son's death

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A mother whose infant son was allegedly beaten and killed by his father at a South Los Angeles motel in 2021 spoke out during a court hearing Thursday, recalling that dreadful day.

Dee'ago Alexander Jones was 18 months old when he was found dead in July 2021.

Authorities were called to the Rosa Bell Motel at 5606 S. Western Avenue and found the child unconscious and not breathing. He was sent to a local hospital and later pronounced dead.

"I can't look at my baby like that," said Dee'ago's mother Ryanna Jones, who testified in court Thursday against the boy's father Shane Flowers. "No parent should go through that."

Jones said she and her son came to California from St. Louis to get away from Flowers. She said it was an abusive relationship and claims Flowers would beat her.

"He was beating on me with his fists and his hands," said Jones. "He's very angry, so if he was to hit my son and I would say something, I would get hit 10 times worse. I'm scared of that man. Very scared ... he's very violent. I'm very scared of him."

Flowers also came to California and the couple was staying at the hotel with the child at the time. Jones said Flowers woke her up saying Dee'ago wasn't breathing.

They called 911 but the child was reportedly already dead. Jones claims Flowers told her what he did.

"He told me that he punched him in his chest and he fell and hit his head on the floor, and he acted like he didn't know what to do," said Jones. "It looks like he just wanted to leave at that point. He left me there by myself."

The defense attorney would not comment about the case. Thursday's court proceeding was a preliminary hearing to see if there is enough evidence against Flowers for him to stand trial.

"A lot of people in the department did a great job, investigating the case and putting the case together," said L.A. child abuse prosecutor Jon Hatami. "From their good investigation, we were able to charge count one which is murder and come to which is assault on a child causing death."

Later in the afternoon, the judge ruled the case can move forward. Even though the preliminary hearing was completed in one day, the case likely will not go to trial until next year.