20-Year-Old Arrested for Murder After Child Found Dead Near Panorama City Dumpster

Discovery of Child's Body

• 💔 A child's body was discovered near a dumpster in a Panorama City parking lot on Saturday.
• 🔍 Police received a tip that led them to a nearby apartment building, initiating the investigation.

Investigation and Detentions

• 📍 Investigators detained two individuals at an apartment complex less than half a mile from the crime scene.
• 🏠 LAPD obtained a search warrant for a unit where a man and a woman were taken into custody, along with two children who were placed under the care of the Department of Children and Family Services.
• 🕵️‍♀️ Detectives later searched a second unit, gathering more evidence and detaining three additional people: two men and one woman.

Suspect Identified and Community Reaction

• 👨‍⚖️ The LAPD believes at least one of the detained individuals is related to the child, with one person booked for murder.
• 🗣️ A man, claiming to be the grandfather of the boy, spoke to the media, stating his 5-year-old grandson was beaten to death.
• ❓ Officials have not officially confirmed the boy's identity, but the 20-year-old arrested has been identified as Malika Gaddis.
• 😔 Many in the community expressed heartbreak and sadness over the crime, describing the child as a "baby angel of light."