Baby At Center Of Fake Kidnapping Cover-Up Scheme Found Dead

Police suspected foul play after a father claimed his baby was kidnapped at a gas station in San Antonio, Texas. Now, authorities believe they have discovered the child's body after the father allegedly led them to an infant's corpse buried in a field.

Investigators were led by Christopher Davila to a field less than one mile from his home. They were then directed to where the father allegedly said he buried the 8-month-old child, King Jay Davila, in a backpack. Police had been searching for the missing child prior to the discovery, according to local outlet San Antonio Express-News.

Davila allegedly claimed that the child's death was caused by the baby toppling off a bed and bumping his head. Davila supposedly said he did not seek medical attention after the baby's fall and the child died hours later.

"He said King Jay's death was an accident," San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said at a Friday morning press conference. "He panicked and did not call 911," he continued, according to the loal outlet.

A witness confirmed that they had heard Davila discussing his child's injury and had seen him and Beatrice Sampayo, the baby's maternal grandmother, distraught and crying on January 3, according to KSAT, a San Antonio, Texas-based news organization.

On January 4, Christopher drove to a Friend's Food Mart, where he then left his car running and the door unlocked while shopping. Angie Torres, Davila's cousin, can be seen on surveillance footage getting in the vehicle and driving away.

Davila then allegedly called King Jay's mother, Jasmine Gonzales, who urged him to call police. Torres was later seen on security camera carrying a car seat. However, investigators determined that King Jay was not in the seat at all and that what appeared to be a kidnapping had been entirely planned by Davila.

Police Chief William McManus characterized the event as "staged," KSAT reports.

Torres allegedly told investigators on January 9 that the night of the supposed kidnapping, Sampayo had told her King Jay had been "severely injured" by Davila. After she took part in the staged kidnapping, Torres then allegedly met with Sampayo and disposed of the car seat, as per Davila's instructions, according to KSAT.

Davila has been charged with child endangerment, injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, tampering with evidence, felony possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance. Torres was arrested on an unrelated aggravated robbery charge days later and now, along with Sampayo, faces a charge of tampering with evidence, which is a third-degree felony, KSAT reports.

[Photo: San Antonio Police Department]